University of British Columbia Research Shows Health Benefits of Gam...( DALLAS Dec. 6 /- A Canadian resea...),Health

DALLAS, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- A Canadian research team led by Dr. Darren E.R. Warburton of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver has determined that there are significant changes in positive health outcomes when participants use the GameBike instead of a standard exercise bicycle. This research offers some of the most compelling empirical data to date on the positive health and fitness effects of the GameBike.

Citing the scientific consensus that "40-65% of individuals who initiate a traditional physical fitness program withdraw within 3-6 months" the researchers postulated that encouraging physical fitness at a young age might substantially promote lifelong physical activity behavior and, in turn "markedly improve health status."

The primary objective of this investigation was to determine whether an interactive video game played during stationary cycling results in significantly greater improvements in multiple risk factors for chronic disease -- aerobic fitness, body composition, blood pressure and musculature fitness. The team also sought to evaluate whether or not interactive video game exercise would lead to different exercise attendance rates than those of traditional cycle exercise.
Highlights of the results include the following findings:

-- There was a significant difference in the attendance of the interactive

video game and traditional training group. The group using GameBike was

30% more likely to train.

-- There was a significant positive change in aerobic fitness of GameBike

participants.

-- There was a significant improvement in the maximal power output in the

GameBike group

-- There was a significant change in the vertical jump and leg power in

the interactive video training group.

-- The magnitude of the change in systolic blood pressure was

significantly greater after the interactive video training in

comparison wit
'/>"/>