Playing Wii is Not Exercise, Say Scientists

by Terrence O'Brien — Dec 26th 2007 at 3:08PM

Playing Wii is Not Exercise Says Scientists

Bad news Wii-athletes, swinging that little white controller around is no substitute for honest to goodness physical activity. According to a study by researchers at John Moore University in Liverpool, England, playing games such as 'Wii Bowling' and 'Wii Sports' only burn about 60 calories an hour, or a measly two-percent more than simply sitting on your rear. A half a cup of raisins has 218 calories -- you'd have to play the Wii for almost 4 hours to burn it off.

On the plus side the researchers did say these extra calories could help to contribute to weight management, but still suggested kids get out and join little league.

From the BBC

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Tags: exercise, health, nintendo, wii

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Aggy said 1:37PM on 8-17-2008

I've lost 28 pounds in about 16 weeks doing 15-30 minutes of wiifit daily, I don't do any other exercise

brandon said 4:44PM on 12-26-2007

the the dumb wii is not exercise x-box 360 brings you more in too the games so wii 0 ponts x-box 360 100000000000000000000 ponts

Joshua said 12:53AM on 12-28-2007

I disagree. I played the boxing game on the Wii for about an hour one day at a friends house and let me tell you, it sure felt like exercise to me. Now if you siimply sit and do the hand motions than no, it's not exercise, but if you get up and get into the game, than it definitley gives your heart rate a boost.

Lexa said 4:57PM on 12-26-2007

I don't think the Wii was made as an alternative to exercise!!! The Wii is an entertaining way to get everyone in the family together and play some decent fun games.

Lindo1764 said 5:01PM on 12-26-2007

Everybody knows that a wii isn't an actual exercise. It's just a game like every other one. Big whoop.

Dp said 5:37PM on 12-26-2007

Damn! I dropped my membership to Lifetime Fitness for nothing!

Ellen said 9:55AM on 12-27-2007

Ever try wii boxing? I go to the gym and work out numerous times a week and I guarantee that wii boxing is a cardio workout!

ckbsox said 5:43PM on 12-26-2007

It gets you off your backside doesn't it?
Beats the hell outta getting carpal tunal from some stupid handheld PS3 controller.

Joe Sorrentino said 5:55PM on 12-26-2007

We need scientists to figure this out. These must be the same geniuses as the ones connected to the fake global cooling/warming hoax.

Jer said 5:57PM on 12-26-2007

Yea, its better than nothing as the saying goes. And yea brandon your an Xbox fanboy, so what. Have fun eating up whatever crap MS hands you. You're a tard for posting that fanboy BS.

Oh yea, it's "into" and you should look up the different uses for to, too and two...tard.

Cee Lo said 6:04PM on 12-26-2007

I can't believe that entirely. Surely the Wii isn't actual exercise, but just 12 more calories per hour than sitting on your butt? If you get into the tennis game and move around a bit, it's a decent amount of activity. Maybe I just get really into it. And I'm a fairly active person (run 3 miles a few times a week).

I would imagine it probably depends on how you play it...

daw said 6:12PM on 12-26-2007

Rock on jer! Your right about brandon and he is a fanboy. but the wii is still no substatute for good old exersize.

PANTYsniffer said 6:14PM on 12-26-2007

i dont play wii for excercise anyway, i play for fun factor. and brandon,is that why the wii has outsold the xbox 3 to 1 ???

slmlrd said 6:22PM on 12-26-2007

Masturbation can burn up to 200 calories. Maybe Wii should design a game that combines their measly 60 calories with a little self love. That will get those kids thinned down. LOL

Gman said 6:35PM on 12-26-2007

I've had more fun playing the Wii for 24 hours (got it for Christmas) then I have playing most other consoles for years. Xbox360 with its derivative gameplay and red ring of death and PS3 with its overpriced 2 good games are both underwhelming more of the same. Kudos to Nintendo for thinking "outside the box"!

Tiler Cassidy said 7:30PM on 12-26-2007

Obviously they have never seen me and my cousin play Wii Tennis.

Longshot said 5:02PM on 12-27-2007

man scientists r idiots. they waste money on finding out if a wii helps excercise r not instead of finding a cure to breast cancer or somethng. duh it doesn't help excercise. scientsts need lives, not acess to abunch of money to waste it on this crap. they're morons

Girl said 7:56PM on 12-26-2007

Actually, I dropped 20 lbs doing 30 minutes of Wii per night (try the boxing and tennis) and one hour of DDR each weekend. And, using a heart monitor, I found that I was burning 250 calories in that half hour of Wii playing. If you just stand there and shake the Wii-mote, no you're not burning many calories. But if you actually move around--then you burn calories. :) It's just like anything else exercise-related--you have to move. But at least doing it via the Wii is more fun than sitting on a stationary bike.

Peace.

Michelle said 8:09PM on 12-26-2007

I agree Girl. WII gets you moving. Not just your fingers.

H said 8:22PM on 12-26-2007

Thank you, Girl! I agree, it depends on what you do with it and how you do it. I boxed for 45 minutes and have two biceps and shoulders that would greatly disagree with this article. I was so sore this morning I could barely pick up a gallon of milk. Okay, so 20 mins of old fashioned aerobics is more efficient, but some times when you just don't feel like working out, boxing is a fun way of tricking your brain into thinking you're not. It's better than sitting on your butt playing regular video games.

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