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 ! , "
Effects of Behavioral Contingencies on Adolescent Active Videogame Play and Overall Activity: A Randomized Trial.
OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the effect of four active videogames ( AVGs ) varying in behavioral contingencies ( behavior-consequence relations ) on  adolescent AVG play and overall activity levels over 4 weeks . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Each AVG , manufactured by SSD/Xavix ( ® ) ( Shiseido Co. of Japan , Tokyo , Japan ) , was coded and scored for the number of positive and aversive behavioral contingencies within the games . " Bowling " and " Tennis " were classified as having " higher contingency scores , " and " Boxing " and aerobic fitness training were classified as having " lower contingency scores . " Adolescents ( n=63 ; 11 - 15 years old ; 62 % male ; 38 % Hispanic ; 44 % overweight or obese ) were r and omized to play one of the four AVGs at home and recorded game play sessions in a paper log . Baseline and week 4 assessment s were completed at home ; week 1 , 2 , and 3 assessment s were completed by telephone . Accelerometers were worn during baseline and weeks 1 and 4 . RESULTS Accelerometer-measured sedentary and light activity hours/day were stable over time , whereas moderate-vigorous physical activity minutes/day increased in the higher contingency group and decreased in the lower contingency group ( interaction effect , 6.43 , P=0.024 ) . Reported game play minutes decreased in both groups from week 1 to week 4 ( -29.42 minutes , P=0.001 ) . DISCUSSION There was some support for the hypothesis that AVGs with more behavioral contingencies , compared with AVGs with fewer behavioral contingencies , result in more physical activity . However , overall AVG play decreased substantially after the first week . Further study is needed to better underst and how behavioral contingencies can be used in AVGs to enhance their potential to provide health benefits to game players
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 ! , "