EE & AVG V2

Currently, there is concern about the increasing amount of time children spend 1 in sedentary activities, the number of children who fail to achieve 2 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 3. Screen-based activities, including television, viewing and playing computer games are among the most frequently observed sedentary activities that children partake3 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 in to 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, 4 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 5 for normal physical activity, e.g. sports and outdoor play.