By Ryan Olson

A lot of discussions have been taking place recently about the combination of video games and exercise. Dubbed exergaming, the movement’s proponents believe video games can provide fun ways to get people off their butts.

Respresentatives from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) joined the exergaming chorus Tuesday, offering commentary from fitness experts claiming that video games might serve as sorely needed tools to make people more active.

According to California State University Chico Kinesiology Professor Josh Trout, games offer serious potential as motivational tools. “Exergaming and exertainment [are] an excellent way for getting kids hooked on physical activity,” he said in a statement.

The ISSA reached out to its member pool to ask questions about the potential of entertainment technologies like video games, concluding that teenagers are most likely to receive the greatest health benefits. The group also said that those benefiting most from exergaming are actually not the ones engaged in serious activity. In fact, the greatest gain comes from the transition between a sedentary lifestyle and one with moderate activity, the group said.

A big portion of the exergaming hullabaloo comes from activity surrounding Nintendo’s new Wii console, which features a motion-sensitive controller players can swing like a tennis racquet, baseball bat, or golf club when playing related games.

A notable point of discussion revolving around the Wii’s potential as a fitness tool comes from Philadelphia’s Mickey DeLorenzo, who garnered serious attention last month after unveiling the results of the aptly-named Wii Sports Experiment. Mr. Lorenzo concluded he lost 9 pounds over the course of the six-week affair, which involved playing games on the system for 30 minutes each day.

Nintendo of America representatives contacted last week for comment on this ongoing story were not forthcoming with details, saying only that fitness games are something the company is looking at.

Another exer-game, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)—which features music and a touch-sensitive pad players step on in specific sequences—continues to garner attention for its fat-fighting ability. The results of a 24-week study featuring DDR in West Virginia homes came out earlier this month, concluding that the game can be an appealing part of a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular exercise.

In January 2006, DDR maker Konami announced a three-year deal with West Virginia to bring the game to more than 750 schools. The company also has partnerships with 24-Hour Fitness and YMCA locations (see Video Game Fights Fat).

Exergaming is also garnering the attention of the scientific community. Last month researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, published the results of a study examining the effects of video game playing on weight loss. The project examined the caloric expenditures of some 25 children during a variety of circumstances including sitting and watching television, playing traditional video games, and games requiring movement. Study results showed that children playing Dance Dance Revolution got the most intense workout (see Video Games Cut Fat).

Others observing the exergaming trend believe the most important result of raised interest in the subject is the idea that small lifestyle changes can have big effects when measured over long periods. “It’s not like the Wii’s going to solve obesity, but… standing up and playing versus sitting is a revolution,” said Ben Sawyer a representative for Washington, D.C.-based Games For Health. The group brings together researchers, medical professionals, and game developers.