Interactive video game cycling may be more enjoyable and lead to higher energy expenditure than conventional exercise, according to a study published March 4, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Javier Monedero from Dublin City University, Ireland, and colleagues.
Despite the widely accepted health benefits of regular physical activity, only a small percentage of the population meets the current recommendations. The authors of this study were interested in comparing the physiological and enjoyment responses between conventional cycling and interactive video game cycling. The scientists studied 34 healthy adults while they completed in random order a 30 min interactive cycling trial and a 30 min conventional cycling trial at moderate intensity. The researchers measured oxygen uptake, energy expenditure, heart rate, and enjoyment every 10 minutes using a standardized scale.
According to the results, participants worked at a higher intensity during the interactive cycling video game trial than they did during the conventional cycling trial. Not only that, they showed a significantly greater rate of energy expenditure and more enjoyment during video game cycling. The authors conclude that interactive cycling games may be a valid alternative to conventional exercise, as they are may be more enjoyable and could be used to help attain current exercise recommendations.
Article: Interactive Video Game Cycling Leads to Higher Energy Expenditure and Is More Enjoyable than Conventional Exercise in Adults, Monedero J, Lyons EJ, O'Gorman DJ., PLoS ONE, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0118470, published 4 March 2015.
The authors have no support or funding to report.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.