Can’t stand exercise, but love video games? You could be in luck, because some games also provide an effective workout
Some Wii Sports and Wii Fit games may be the equivalent of moderately intense exercise for adults, researchers say.
A Nintendo-funded study found that about one-third of the virtual physical activities provided exercise the equivalent of 3.0 metabolic equivalent values (METs) or above, which is considered to be moderately intensive. (METs are a standard means of measuring how much energy the body uses.) Other activities considered to be moderately intensive include baseball, touch football, fast dancing, jumping rope, and swimming laps.
“Energy expenditure is the most important information to measure the effect of video games,” said Motohiko Miyachi of the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Tokyo and lead author of the study.
Wii S0orts is collection of five games based on baseball, bowling, golf, boxing, and tennis. Boxing is the most effective activity, based at about 4.5 METs. Baseball and tennis have METs of 3.0 each, while bowling rates a 2.6 and golf, a 2.0.
Wii Fit games include yoga, resistance and strength training, balance, and aerobic exercises, some of which also provide moderately intensive exercise.
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