Reflecting public health interest in the potential of exergames to encourage PA , many review s of this literature have appeared.18 - 20 Some review s have been sympathetic,21,22 whereas others have been critical.23,24 A reasonably balanced assessment revealed that , in research laboratories , exergames could provide an intense workout that included moderate-to-vigorous PA  , but under less-supervised circumstances , children tended not to get much activity18 and their interest in the activity waned over 1 week or less .
Video games , the most commonly enjoyed medium by this generation of children , generates more money than Hollywood productions .
Forty percent of these studies influenced obesity or obesogenic behavior in the desired directions.12 A roundtable discussion of investigators of G4H and obesity indicated substantial potential for video games to reduce child obesity , but emphasized the need for games to be fun , not just health promoting.13 Some of the obesity-related studies used games specially design ed to target diet and /or PA change outside the games.14 - 17 " Squire 's Quest ! , "
Active video games and energy balance in male adolescents: a randomized crossover trial.
BACKGROUND Active video games ( AVGs ) have been shown to acutely increase energy expenditure when compared with seated video games ; however , the influence of AVGs on compensatory adjustments in energy intake and expenditure is largely unknown . OBJECTIVE The aim was to examine the acute effects of AVGs on energy intake and expenditure . DESIGN With the use of a r and omized crossover design , 26 male adolescents ( mean ± SD age : 14.5 ± 1.4 y ) completed three 1-h experimental conditions : resting control , seated video game play ( Xbox 360 ; Microsoft ) , and AVG play ( Kinect Adventures on Xbox 360 ) followed by an ad libitum lunch . A vali date d food menu was used to assess food intake immediately after the conditions and for the remainder of the day , and a dietary record was used for the subsequent 3-d period . Energy expenditure was measured by using portable indirect calorimetry throughout each experimental condition , and an accelerometer was used to assess the subsequent 3-d period . Appetite sensations were assessed by using visual analog scales at different time points during the testing day . The primary outcomes were acute ( immediately after the conditions and 24-h ) and short-term ( 3-d ) energy intake and expenditure . RESULTS Energy expenditure was significantly higher ( ~145 % ; P < 0.001 ) during the AVG condition than during the resting control and seated video game conditions ; however , no significant differences in energy expenditure were observed 24 h ( ~6 % ; P > 0.49 ) and 3 d after the experimental conditions ( ~3 % ; P > 0.82 ) . No significant differences were observed in absolute energy intake immediately after the conditions ( ~2 % ; P > 0.94 ) or in absolute energy intake 24 h ( ~5 % ; P > 0.63 ) and 3 d ( ~9 % ; P > 0.53 ) after the experimental conditions . Finally , appetite sensations were similar between conditions at all time points ( P > 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS The increase in energy expenditure promoted by a single session of Kinect AVG play is not associated with increased food intake but is compensated for after the intervention , result ing in no measurable change in energy balance after 24 h. These results suggest that the potential of Kinect to reduce the energy gap underlying weight gain is offset within 24 h in male adolescents . This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT01655901
Reflecting public health interest in the potential of exergames to encourage PA , many review s of this literature have appeared.18 - 20 Some review s have been sympathetic,21,22 whereas others have been critical.23,24 A reasonably balanced assessment revealed that , in research laboratories , exergames could provide an intense workout that included moderate-to-vigorous PA  , but under less-supervised circumstances , children tended not to get much activity18 and their interest in the activity waned over 1 week or less .
Video games , the most commonly enjoyed medium by this generation of children , generates more money than Hollywood productions .
Forty percent of these studies influenced obesity or obesogenic behavior in the desired directions.12 A roundtable discussion of investigators of G4H and obesity indicated substantial potential for video games to reduce child obesity , but emphasized the need for games to be fun , not just health promoting.13 Some of the obesity-related studies used games specially design ed to target diet and /or PA change outside the games.14 - 17 " Squire 's Quest ! , "