Energy Expenditure of Sedentary Screen Time Compared With Active Screen Time for Children
- 1 December 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in PEDIATRICS
- Vol. 118 (6), e1831-e1835
- https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-1087
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. We examined the effect of activity-enhancing screen devices on children's energy expenditure compared with performing the same activities while seated. Our hypothesis was that energy expenditure would be significantly greater when children played activity-promoting video games, compared with sedentary video games. METHODS. Energy expenditure was measured for 25 children aged 8 to 12 years, 15 of whom were lean, while they were watching television seated, playing a traditional video game seated, watching television while walking on a treadmill at 1.5 miles per hour, and playing activity-promoting video games. RESULTS. Watching television and playing video games while seated increased energy expenditure by 20 ± 13% and 22 ± 12% above resting values, respectively. When subjects were walking on the treadmill and watching television, energy expenditure increased by 138 ± 40% over resting values. For the activity-promoting video games, energy expenditure increased by 108 ± 40% with the EyeToy (Sony Computer Entertainment) and by 172 ± 68% with Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2 (Konami Digital Entertainment). CONCLUSIONS. Energy expenditure more than doubles when sedentary screen time is converted to active screen time. Such interventions might be considered for obesity prevention and treatment.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Time Well Spent? Relating Television Use to Children's Free-Time ActivitiesPEDIATRICS, 2006
- Laboratory Measurement of Posture Allocation and Physical Activity in ChildrenMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2005
- Does a NEAT difference in energy expenditure lead to obesity?The Lancet, 2005
- Interindividual Variation in Posture Allocation: Possible Role in Human ObesityScience, 2005
- Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among US Children, Adolescents, and Adults, 1999-2002JAMA, 2004
- Linking obesity and activity level with children's television and video game useJournal of Adolescence, 2004
- Overweight in childhood and adolescence.The New England Journal of Medicine, 2004
- Childhood obesity and the role of physical activityPerspectives in Public Health, 2004
- Obesity and the Environment: Where Do We Go from Here?Science, 2003
- The level and tempo of children???s physical activities: an observational studyMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1995