Playing exergames boosts health – This is what researchers say!

New Delhi: A new research suggests that playing exergames like Pokemon Go can significantly boost health, claim scientists.

Traditional video gaming has increased the health detriments of sedentary time. Exergames, on the other hand, require physical activity and thus, reduce the detriments of sedentary activities such as sitting.

"One central advantage of exergames is their ability to combine enjoyment and utility, and for many that is the underlying reason for playing," said Tuomas Kari from University of Jyvaskyla in Finland.

"This way the games can offer physical activity to their players on the side of gaming without the players necessarily even realising this," said Kari.

"Thus, these games can act as a mean to make exercise more fun, especially for those who are otherwise less interested about exercising," he said.

Considering this, exergames can be recommended as an alternative for traditional video gaming, researchers said.

Exergaming can provide exertion of the recommended intensity, is generally enjoyed, and can evoke some health benefits, but on a longer-term, these games alone are not sufficient to increase physical activity and fitness levels sufficiently for significant physical health benefits, and other forms of physical activity should be used alongside exergames.

(With PTI inputs)