Social gaming + exercise = healthy?
Is it possible to improve your health while gaming?
I’ve always associated gaming with sitting on my behind, a can or two of coke, an endless supply of chocolate nearby, headphones on, never to see the sunrise or sunset, at least not until the next day! Surely this behaviour can’t encourage a healthier lifestyle?
Or can it?
Perhaps, change the snacks out for celery sticks, carrot straws and a tub of tzatziki, a glass or two of water..... better right?
According to Maciej Behnke, the idea isn’t so crazy... particularly with games like Pokemon Go, a game whereby players are connected via a community, play through their mobile devices to seek objects to help them level up, and wait for it, walk to each target! (Behnke, Dziekan, Guzik, Kaczmarek & Misiak, 2017) Yes, walk...
Gaming socially not only provides a unique experience for the user, but it encourages connectivity with other like-minded individuals that otherwise wouldn’t be connected. Additionally, with games like Pokemon Go, which encourage movement within the play experience, the “virtual world” gives an individual flexibility to connect with others inside and outside of the playing world.
Pretty cool. Maybe more games should be tailored this way?
Source: https://gph.is/2biaBlX
So let’s look at the health benefits:
Source: https://gph.is/28JO8Aq
Maciej Behnke goes on to explain through their study that video gaming used to be a sedentary activity whereby users, like I just sat back and watched the day go by, stuffing myself with all sorts of nasty but super tasty morsels, but now, with development enhancements have been made to the gameplay experience to incorporate exercise into the mix. I recall playing Wii tennis, and ended up a little buggered! At the time, I felt embarrassed, but I should’ve thought, hey, this is more fun than the treadmill! and it’s giving me a good heart experience (Behnke, Dziekan, Guzik, Kaczmarek & Misiak, 2017).
Games like Pokemon GO have also allowed the inside play to come to the outside world, encouraging connections with people that otherwise would not have had the opportunity. Additionally, it is important to realise the correlation between higher physical activity and a healthier body (Miles, 2007), coupled with the potential for weight loss and healthier composition that reduces the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, crippling conditions in today's day and age (Buttriss & Hardman, 2005).
A good dose of Vitamin D through sun exposure wouldn’t hurt either!
Essential takeaways from this research are as follows;
Individuals who played Pokémon Go more were more physically active.
Individuals who played Pokémon Go more spent more time outdoors.
Health and social gaming motives predicted stronger health outcomes.
Men played more and derived more health benefits from Pokémon GO.
There I have it, there are some games out there that can encourage my 13 year old to drag himself away from the console in order to soak up a little vitamin D. No longer will there be whinging and whining, it’ll be just a matter of better choices!
References:
Behnke, M, Dziekan, M. Guzik, P. Kaczmarek, L & Misiak, M, 2017 ‘The Pikachu effect: Social and health gaming motivations lead to greater benefits of Pokemon GO use’, Computers in Human Behaviour, pp 356-363, viewed 25 May 2018 <https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0747563217303527>
Buttriss, J., & Hardman, A. (2005). Physical activity: Where are we now. In S. Stanner (Ed.), Cardiovascular Disease: Diet, Nutrition and Emerging Risk Factors: The Report of the British Nutrition Foundation Task Force (pp. 234e244). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Miles, L. (2007). Physical activity and health. Nutrition Bulletin, 32, 314e363.