Younger gamers looking to con a Wii out of parents this year by selling them on the physical benefits of “active” gaming, it’s time to dream up a new strategy. A UK study entitled “Energy expenditure in adolescents playing new generation computer games” reveals that a round of Wii Sports doesn’t work the body nearly as hard as proper exercise. While it expends more energy than “idle” gaming with a controller, the difference is negligible.

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The study concludes that the physical activity “was not of high enough intensity to contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise in children… In a typical week, active gaming rather than passive gaming would increase total energy expenditure by less than 2 percent.”

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