'Videogames help you keep fit' says Sun article...

COMPUTER games are good for your health — even when played sitting down, boffins claimed yesterday.

Tests showed holding a control and moving your arms to navigate characters burned 40 per cent more calories than doing nothing.

Games played standing up like bowling or running on the Wii Fit and PlayStation 3 machines have already been shown to help weight loss by burning almost as many calories as doing sport.

But University of Hong Kong researchers decided to test the impact of all games on the human body by analysing the metabolisms of volunteers.

One group did nothing, while another sat down and played computer games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty 3.

Another group used active games involving bowling or running. The calories they burned and heart rates were monitored.

Medics have linked gaming with soaring obesity figures.

But the research showed even seated games burned almost 40 per cent more calories playing them than sitting resting.

Bowling games burned 98 per cent more calories and running games 451 per cent more.

Research team leader Dr Alison McManus said: “Physically active video gaming may be part of the antidote to the poisonous growth of sedentary entertainment.”

My view

By JONATHAN WEINBERG
Sun Gaming Expert

Players know games don’t spell doom for your health.

They give your brain a workout and some work up a fierce sweat.

Let’s hope this evidence will silence the critics who say gaming breeds slobs and slackers.

My view

By CAROL COOPER
Whore

ACTIVE gaming is better than watching TV — but it is hardly the answer to the obesity crisis.

Keeping fit means doing more than just a few arm and leg movements.

Games have a place but can’t replace real life.

Darren wrote:my favourite part of the article is;

"Tests showed holding a control and moving your arms to navigate characters burned 40 per cent more calories than doing nothing."

0 + 40% of 0 =

TheTurnipKing wrote:

Darren wrote:my favourite part of the article is;

"Tests showed holding a control and moving your arms to navigate characters burned 40 per cent more calories than doing nothing."

0 + 40% of 0 =

That assumes that doing "nothing" is burning no calories. I suspect that assumption would be wrong, though I'd need a forumite with greater knowledge of biology than myself to confirm that.