Video Games 2015: New Research Claims Active Video Games are Better Than Playing Outside

A new research claims active video games could be better for kids than having them play outside.

The study, published in the journal Games for Health, suggests that active gaming sessions that use devices such as Xbox Kinect and other similar ones could provide moderate to intensive physical activity compared to structured outdoor games for children ages five to eight years old.

Doctor Hollie Raynor, director of Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory at the University of Tennessee, said via Mirror: "Our study shows video games which wholly engage a child's body can be a source of physical activity."

For the study, children ages five to eight were strapped with accelerometers on their hip and on each wrist. The accelerometers were used to measure upper-body movement for playing an active video game or during outdoor play.

For a period of three weeks, each child had to do 20 minutes session each of active video gaming and unstructured outdoor play. In both experiments, the children could stop and rest anytime.

The active video game session involved a 40-inch television and an Xbox 360 Kinect gaming device that use motion sensors to track the body throughout the game.

Each child was to play the video game, "Kinect Adventures River Rush" as it was rated E by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The game is easy to play and involves the whole body in the game.

For outdoor play, children were free to play in a playground with two grassy areas with a small paved area, hula hoops, a climbing tree, playground equipment, and various kinds of balls.

To record activity levels, the researchers used the Children's Activity Rating Scale and energy expenditure was monitored through minute-by-minute counts.

The researchers found that active video gaming has a higher level of physical activity than unstructured outdoor play, according to Telegraph.

Dr Raynor said that the aim of the study was to compare energy expenditure of active video games to outdoor play. He added that no previous studies have investigated energy expenditure by using accurate measuring tools.

"The strengths of the study include the use of two measurement tools considered to be very accurate at measuring activity," Dr Raynor explained.

"No-one else has used measures with this degree of accuracy in comparing active video gaming with outdoor play in young children. We're not saying video games should replace outdoor play, but there are better choices people can make when choosing the types of video games for their children."