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Insurance Article

Exergames, the new way to get in shape

September 09 2016
Improve your Fitness with Games

New age games plan to improve your fitness while keeping you entertained

A study published in Indian Journal of Medical Research revealed that childhood obesity is growing with about 19.3 percent of the youth overweight. The data was collected from 52 studies conducted in 16 of the 28 states in India with results posted in 2010, a 3% increase from the last research.

Another survey was spearheaded by Dr. Todkar, head of the Maharashtra division, Association for Advanced Research in Obesity, on 10,000 college-going students aged 18-25 years. It revealed that 46% of the youngsters in Mumbai are either overweight or obese, with findings published in November, 2014. The stats across the country are no different. This raises major concerns over the health of our nation's youth and the overall approach towards physical activity.

The evolution of get-up-and-play games have changed the way we see games and physical activity for the youth. For instance, Pokémon Go, the Augmented Reality mobile game, has enjoyed enormous success in a very short time due to its user engagement.

Pokémon Go has already become the highest grossing game in the US and several other countries. Millions of users are installing the game on their phones and enjoying the benefits of physical activity needed to play it.

The Good

Exergames can be beneficial to overweight children and those who usually do not take part in any kind of physical activity. These games also give children an opportunity to be more social and interact with like-minded peers.

Try out other exergames available on mobile platforms Zombies Run, Ingress and 7 Minute Superhero Workout, along with indoor activity-based consoles.

The compelling feature of these games is that they do not make physical activity feel like a chore. What’s more, since there is no age bar, you and your kids can play together and move your way to fitness by clubbing it with other activities.

The Bad

Using your phone while walking or driving can cause accidents or serious injury. Prolonged smartphone usage may also cause health problems such as nearsightedness and disturbed sleeping patterns which may lead to various mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and irritability.

The Verdict

Exergaming combines two popular concepts, video games and fitness. This type of gaming has shown positive effects on:

  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Coordination
  • Reduced stress
  • Reduced anxiety
  • Improved problem-solving
  • Improved cognitive skills

It remains to be seen what new concepts and games developers come up with in the future that will improve health and the quality of life of the end user. Another tool that encourage you to get in shape is ICICI Lombard's Health and wellness policy. It offers you reward points for getting fit through any of the wellness activities such as gym membership, participation in sporting events, health risk assessment and many more.

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