Is your child gaining too much weight? Then buy him video games! But hold your horses, we have to qualify what kind of video games you have to buy. According to a team of researchers from Hong Kong, obese children can benefit from video games which urge them to move.

Of course the first thing that entered my mind when I read this was the Wii. However, there are other video games out there that provide similar benefits. One India reports:

“A recent active gaming concept that allows players to experience various activities (e.g., bowling, fishing, tennis, golf) in a virtual world is the XaviX gaming system (SSD Company Ltd., Shiga, Japan),” the authors said.

“In addition to the exercise gaming modalities, the XaviX system includes a gaming mat (XaviX J-Mat) that allows participants to travel the streets of Hong Kong at a walk or a run, avoiding obstacles and stamping out ninjas,” they added.

Robin R. Mellecker, B.Sc., and Alison M. McManus, Ph.D., of the Institute of Human Performance, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, measured heart rate and energy (calorie) expenditure in 18 children age 6 to 12 (average age 9.6) during a 25 minute gaming protocol.

“Our data demonstrate that the two active gaming formats result in meaningful increases in energy expenditure compared with the seated screen environment. The next step is to test whether active gaming interventions can provide sustainable increases in childhood physical activity,” the authors said. The study is published in the September issue of Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Not bad, eh? I think the Wii is still the king when it comes to these kinds of things but I am also thinking that more and more in the industry will follow suit.

Tags: health, obesity, video game

I just could not resist this. I might be biting off more than I can chew but after reading the entry titled “Would You Buy Your Kid a Video Game Console!?!” I knew I had to write my own thoughts. Here is what the blogger had to say:

I remember one time our neighbors were over and the topic of video games came up. They were unsure if they were going to treat their kids with a computer box of pointlessness. I immediately said “Don’t ever buy them or let them get a video game console”. WHY? Because after 14 years of playing video games I have learned NOTHING except for how to be a better video game player. If I could go back and erase any type of video game console from my life I honestly believe that I would become a smarter and more active person.

First it made me think. I have been playing video games for longer as this guy – on the PC and consoles combined. What have I learned? Faster and better reflexes? Interacting with other people? Strategy? Even simple math. Persistence perhaps.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I have learned NOTHING. Then again, he does have a point about being a more active person. I suppose it all boils down to how parents monitor and control the use of the video game consoles and computers. Just like anything else, moderation is the key.

How about you, would you buy your kids a video game console?

Tags: consoles, Psychology

Will this ever stop? Will researchers ever find something definite about the link between violent video games and the behavior of those who play them? While I was doing my regular news browsing, a headline caught my eye. It read “Violent video games tied to teen aggression.” In my mind, I was wailing “Not again!”

After all, we have heard such statements from various people across various sectors for so long now. Then we have those people from other sectors claiming that these statements are unfounded. So what is it, really?

So I just the article anyway – if only to find out what proof they have found now. This is what Reuters reported:

Adolescents who play violent video games may become increasingly aggressive over time, a new study of Japanese and U.S. teens suggests.

Researchers found that among three groups of 9- to 18-year-olds followed over several months, those who regularly played violent video games were more likely to get into more and more physical fights over time. The study is among the first to chart changes in gamers’ aggressive behavior over time, lending weight to evidence that violent video games can encourage violence in some kids. And it’s the first to show that the effects are seen across cultures, researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.

I have to emphasize the use of the word MAY. Grammatically speaking, this word is used to indicate a possibility. It does not really provide a solid link between the two factors being considered. To be honest, I am not surprised at all, are you?

Tags: aggression, gaming psychology

Parties are always fun – whether they are for kids or adults. One thing that I noticed recently is that parties tend to have a theme. I guess having people dressed up as somebody else adds to the fun. Having activities revolving around a certain theme is also quite entertaining.

Yet have you ever thought of having a party where you can play video games? Just imagine how video game enthusiasts will react to that kind of party! Well, if the idea is to your liking and you have some cash to spare, this is a very good idea – and something that can be done as well. Read this:

Scott Novis, 42, founded The Game Truck two years ago in Tempe with idea of bringing arcades to birthday parties. So far, the company has done nearly 1,000 parties. Novis calls it “social video gaming.”

“The kids love it. Hanging out and play(ing) games with your friends has to be one of the greatest, most fun things you can do,” said Novis, a 10-year industry veteran. He had worked as vice president for Fall Line Studio, an interactive entertainment affiliate of the Walt Disney Company.

The 50-foot mobile video game theater, from truck to trailer, is outfitted with four 50-inch flat-screen televisions, sound systems and 15 to 20 game consoles. They’ve got Xbox 360s, Wiis, PlayStations and more than three dozen multiplayer games.

How much will this kind of service set you back? A nice sum of $275 for two hours and $95 for every additional hour. For that many consoles and other equipment, I think that it is not such a bad deal.

Tags: video game party