AVG

Currently, there is concern about the increasing amount of time children spend in sedentary activities, the number of children who fail to achieve minimum daily physical activity guidelines (i.e. 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities every day), and the apparent increase in obesity prevalence as a result of such sedentary behaviors . Screen-based activities, including television viewing and playing computer games are among the most frequently observed sedentary activities that children partake with children spending 2.5-4 h per day participating in such activities. The introduction of "active video games" (AVGs) into the gaming market presents an opportunity to convert traditional, sedentary screen-time into active screen-time and thus increase total daily energy expenditure (EE). Modern AVGs utilize cameras and motion sensors to allow the gamer to physically perform a variety of actions, dependent on the console, such as swinging a tennis racquet or running. The most demanding AVGs provided similar responses to walking and, based on international standards, should be classified as low-intensity activities. Whilst AVGs may provide children with a better alternative to sedentary gaming, they are not a sufficient replacement for normal physical activity, e.g. sports and outdoor play.