Created: 7/13/2009 4:45:28 PM 
Kids burn about three times more calories playing some "exergames" than they do sitting around watching TV, a new study shows.
In fact, when kids play Nintendo's Wii Sports boxing or Dance Dance Revolution, they do about the same amount of physical activity as when they take a brisk walk.
Researchers at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center measured the energy expenditure, heart rate and perceived exertion level of 14 boys and 9 girls, ages 10 to 13, doing several different activities: Watching TV, doing Dance Dance Revolution (DDR, on the Sony PlayStation 2 in the study) at the second level, playing Wii Sports boxing and bowling, and walking on a treadmill at 1.2 miles an hour, 1.9 miles an hour and 2.6 miles an hour while watching cartoons. These speeds correspond to slow, moderate, and brisk walking for kids this age. Among the findings reported in the August issue of Pediatrics:
- Kids use similar amounts of energy playing Wii boxing, doing DDR at level two and walking 2.6 miles an hour. They burned about three times as many calories doing these activities as they did watching TV, using about three calories per minute doing the games compared to one calorie a minute vegging in front of the TV.
- Kids used about two to 2 1/2 times more energy playing Wii bowling and doing the beginner level of DDR as they did watching TV. They used 2 to 2 1/2 calories a minute doing the activity.
- Boys used more energy than girls when playing DDR and bowling, but both boys and girls used about the same amount of energy walking and playing Wii boxing.
"The kids found it a lot more enjoyable playing the games than walking on the treadmill," says exercise physiologist Kevin Short, an assistant professor in Oklahoma's department of pediatrics and the father of three boys, 9, 11 and 13.
Kids can break a sweat with these games, but the exergames "are not vigorous exercise," he says.
"They're not the equivalent of playing tag or being on the soccer team or basketball team. The games can fill in the gaps for rainy days or slow times when kids might otherwise be sitting around.
"I encourage my kids to get outside to ride their bikes, play basketball and skateboard with friends everyday. Those kinds of things are still the best physical activity of all."
USA Today
