Study: Wii kids lose weight

A research report carried out by the Liverpool John Moores University has found that kids can use active games as part of a weight loss regime.

Beats the Truffle Shuffle, I reckon...

Back in January a Philadephia man called Mickey DeLorenzo claimed on his blog that he had lost nine pounds playing Wii Sports for 30 minutes a day for a month.

Now research undertaken at a UK university seems to back up the claim--Liverpool John Moores University has published findings that state that playing "active" games using the Wii controllers could lead to 27 pounds being lost in a year.

The study used a sample of five girls and seven boys between 13 and 15 years old and tracked the gamers through three key measures of energy expenditure, calories burned, and heart rate. It was found that during 15 minutes of play using a traditional controller, energy expenditure increased above resting values by 60 percent, and when using the Wii console, the figure rose to 156 percent.

Heart rate was also faster when using the Wii, reaching up to 130 beats per minute, compared to 85 with more-traditional games.

Professor Tim Cable, lead researcher on the report, commented, "Through our testing it is clear that the motion sensor controlled console can make an impact on a child's heart rate, energy expenditure and the amount of calories burned... Active consoles such as the Wii could provide a means of motivating children who are less active. However, parents should encourage other physical activities and outdoor pursuits in order for their children to lead well balanced lives."

183 Comments

  • Chooch-A-Doo

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 8:09 pm PT

    Any scientist wanna run some tests on a 31 year old? I want to know how many rounds with the punching bag I need to go through each day to shave about 30 pounds off my fat a$$ in a couple of months. Part of my purchase decision was hopefully getting some aerobic exercise. I was hoping to lose enough weight to not be ashamed to go to the gym and track again.

    I just got my Wii today and I think it's going to help. Not only is is fun but after boxing for 30 minutes I was sweating like the hog that I am.

    It be cool if the Wii had sensors that you could velcro around your ankles such that you had to walk or jog in place to get your character to move. Think about the old Track and Field game. Running and jumping in place would not only be fun and hilarious to watch others but would probably provide even better weight loss results.

    My 3 1/2 year old was playing the Wii Play cow racing and having such a good time. Every time he actually jumped, the cow jumped. He was laughing so hard I thought he was gonna pass out.

  • Jsen

    Posted May 11, 2007 7:55 pm PT

    moms can no longer tell their kids who play video games that it is just just rotting their brains
    id expect something like this from the wii, but losing 30 pounds a year for playing video games? thats friggin sweet

  • JAREDJR

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 4:45 pm PT

    if only i were fat and didn't take part in actual sports outdoors, then i could promote this further. but hooray for fat people, video games are the key to a new healthy life!

  • mastermario4000

    Posted Mar 8, 2007 10:58 am PT

    holy crap................................................................................

  • firehawk110

    Posted Mar 1, 2007 7:54 am PT

    sweeeeet, i might make a bargain with my parents about this

  • Timbydude

    Posted Feb 28, 2007 7:17 pm PT

    Wow this is an informative study...I never knew that exercise actually made you lose weight!!!!! Astonishing!!!!

  • Zoso_UK

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 10:31 am PT

    :
    Wow, you mean standing up and moving my body instead of sitting on my bum and just moving my thumbs is better for me physically? Someone call the scientists and let them know! Honestly, I hope this "research" didn't come out of my tax money, or next they'll be researching how to get my foot out of their bottoms


    Hahaha thats funny cause its so true. How hard is it to figure out moving will help you lose weight we don't need universities telling us that.

  • elozl

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    Good for all the fat people out there (of course im talking about me ) lol
    Wii love this console!

  • Phantom_2003

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 5:14 pm PT

    i want them to make a ddr for wii, not only because it might help people lose more weight, but people would probably be tripping all over themselves dancing AND using their arms for something, which sounds like an excellent event to watch.

  • erikthepoes

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 4:08 pm PT

    congratlations and whatever but sucks to Nintendo they pulled the plug on my country south africa so we getting no WII or ds even though there so many fans here but yeah moving along . . . . . btw still respect Nintendo but still put yourself in my shoes

  • theKSMM

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 1:54 pm PT

    All jokes aside, if you're out of shape, you better ease your way into playing on the Wii. Just playing Wii sports can have your hips, arms, and shoulders sore. I finally got my fastball up to 96 mph, but I couldn't lift my arm over my head for a day and a half.

  • ArfenZard15

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 1:00 pm PT

    Here you go Nintendo, another 1-up mushroom!
    Rocks to be them!

  • weeeoops1520

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 12:10 pm PT

    yay the truffle shuffle!!!!

  • Tenjikuronin

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 11:35 am PT

    This reminds me of that SNES Exercise Bike. Its a pity that it didn't catch on, that was actually a pretty neat accessory. I personally think that some exercise themed games for the Wii would be great.

  • mattcake

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 10:14 am PT

    Wow, you mean standing up and moving my body instead of sitting on my bum and just moving my thumbs is better for me physically? Someone call the scientists and let them know! Honestly, I hope this "research" didn't come out of my tax money, or next they'll be researching how to get my foot out of their bottoms

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 7:20 am PT

    cool. may the reign of fat kids end!!!!

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 7:14 am PT

    ... I need to start playing Wii sports again.

  • g_max_

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 7:02 am PT

    Yeah... The Wii is fine and all but this just really comes across as someone working as a Wii shill. I mean 15 minutes? What about a few hours? What about over the next few days or weeks - after you're too sore to move, or you've got repetitive motion problems, or you've just busted your controller when it flew across the room... Balance in life is good, but no video game system is going to give it to you all by itself, and to imply otherwise is irresponsible.

    Enjoy your video games and systems of choice, but don't count on them to magically melt away the pounds!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 1:09 am PT

    That picture almost traumatized my @$$!

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 11:49 pm PT

    I can understand that. I do the workout option on Warioware and it puffs me out after a few goes.

  • Darkside5675

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 11:10 pm PT

    I havn't played it enough to start losing weight.

  • TryMe01

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 9:11 pm PT

    from doing almost no exercise to jumping around the house, theres the innovation nintendo has created to reverse the problem they caused almost 20 years ago

  • Dante565

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 9:02 pm PT

    Cool I can lose weight when i go the gym it works almost as well if not better.

  • robfield

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 7:51 pm PT

    They could lose weight if they exercised too...

  • MichaeltheCM

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 7:38 pm PT

    i agree with the CausticBox that the survey taken was clearly not large enough to conclude acurate results but the theory does make sense and is very amusing. i knew that people would start losing weight when the wii came out b/c u actually have to get your entire body involved with some games which is a pretty good idea but of course should not be for all games. (they need larger studies with repetition to conclude acturate results)

  • Pete5506

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 7:34 pm PT

    wow

  • CausticBox

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 6:49 pm PT

    A sample size of 12? That's hardly enough for really accurate results.

  • OldWiseBob

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 6:38 pm PT

    I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but I can't seem to play Wii-sports sitting down. It 4reakin 4orces me to get up and do 4ull swings just cause it's so much 4unner that way.

  • Arley569

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 5:59 pm PT

    GOONIEEEEEES!!!!

  • billybob7897

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 5:25 pm PT

    the question is how much energy they're putting into Wii sports. most likely the kids in this study are doing full tennis swings in Wii Tennis, as opposed to just flicking your wrist (which works too)

    keep that in mind if you want to loose weight with the Wii. and remember games like Zelda require minimal motions, making them less ideal for working up a sweat.

  • SNIPER-CAZ

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 5:19 pm PT

    i know what the point of this study is. The study has mainy loop holes therefor it is not a primary source of information. At the end of there study they hope the wii will motivate children to be active outside of gaming. If they dont exercise outside of gaming they will not "lead well balanced lives". But do you think playing the wii will make them more active. idnnooooo

  • gtafreak621

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 5:03 pm PT

    I think some of you are missing the point when you are saying things like, "why dont they just go outside?"

    maybe the kids tested did go outside and play sports and whatnot, this is not the point of the study. the way they monitored the kids who were playing IS proof that the Wii provides some weight loss in those kids, so the more obese child is probably getting more of a workout. Look at it this way, its easier for a child who is at the target weight for his/her age group to run a lap around a track than it is for an overweight child to run the same distance.

    think about it.

  • SNIPER-CAZ

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:48 pm PT

    In America today kids are more active then adults

  • leafdj

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:41 pm PT

    Sniper-Caz: In America today? Are you kidding me?

  • SNIPER-CAZ

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:29 pm PT

    how thorough is this study anyways, for all we know these kids are most likely in school, so therefor active daily in physical education, and maybe a sports team. Knowing kids, they could even be playing after sport getting more then enough excercice daily. Plus the kids could be eating well. But anyways this research doesnt give enough information about the sample they took. So after this study i believe the Wii had a very low percentage of actually doing something to these kids. It doesnt tell us if these kids do anything outside playing wii.

  • Gmacrusher

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:28 pm PT

    Yeah i knew that from the start...but i guess that some of us don't play Wii to much because we play games to have fun and get phat...or fat..and not get skinny!

  • peacenutman

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:21 pm PT

    Cool!, the government should give every fat and obessed people a Wii!!!

  • marvster21

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:18 pm PT

    a lot of people are going to start buying the wii hell i might buy the wii im pretty lazy but still playing and losing weight thats hype

  • lostn

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:11 pm PT

    Just make a fitness game for the Wii. Like going to a gym, except you don't have to leave the house.

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:02 pm PT

    It seems the Wii is an excellent system for couch potatoes.

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:56 pm PT

    Playing outside > Playing motion-based games > Playing normal games. Can't really argue with that, though I don't think I want to know what it cost them to verify that conclusion...

  • lightningbugx

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:55 pm PT

    When I worked in an environment that had me moving 30-40 pound bags everyday, I was losing weight quickly. After I changed to a job with out the weight moving, my weight started piling up again.

    The best source of weight lose is being active. Because the Wiimote has the player moving more than just fingers, it helps make the player more active. Some games require the usage of the arm in order to perform the motion right.

  • n2Deepeth

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:49 pm PT

    Damn, I wish I was paid to do this kind of research. It's simple as heck. Maybe I'll do a similar study in which I'll test if 30 minutes of jogging each day will help people lose weight.

  • OldWiseBob

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:42 pm PT

    You people need to understand that they are not comparing this to the freakin real thing. It's that simple.

    Since when have video games helped people lose weight? (Remember, this has nothing to do with the gym or the real sports for those of you who are confused) I don't recall anything besides DDR. If just WIi sports is helping people be more active then what will later games bring?

  • Axel_rocks14

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:33 pm PT

    Go Wii!!!!!

  • piestuff

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:24 pm PT

    hay guyz, i like to believe evrything i reed!

  • suznjak

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:20 pm PT

    pretty sad that people are to lazy to get outside or go a gym and do real exercises. i'm quite sure the wii is fun but put down the remote and get out and do something.

  • OtterX

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:01 pm PT

    NOTHING beats the Truffle Shuffle.

  • g_max_

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:00 pm PT

    This is nonsense. Weight loss "study" completed in a couple months? Come on... I smell a rat...

  • Goku2639

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:00 pm PT

    Ghost_Recon)fan is a sqeaker...lmao....according to JLCrogue of course. anywho. weight lossing on Wii? Hoottness!!

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