Nintendo, in a bid to push its own products, highlighted a survey by the American Heart Association today. The survey found that playing "active-play" video games can lead players to real-world fitness activities. According to the survey, 58 percent of people who played active-play video games began a new fitness activity like walking, tennis, or jogging since they started playing the games. The survey also found that 68 percent of people who play active-play video games say they are more physically active since they got involved in video games. The survey was conducted Oct. 25- Nov. 1, 2010, by the American Heart Association and included a total of 2,284 male and female respondents ages 25-55.
The survey also showed that 82 percent of those who used active-play video games now play more with family and friends. Men are more likely than women to play active-play video games with their children (men 65 percent vs. women 56 percent), the survey found. Men are also more likely than women to play active-play video games with someone else on the same console (men 51 percent vs. women 36 percent).
Women like active-play video games more than men as a way to stay active at home (61 percent), to play during the day or night (49 percent), and try new things they wouldn’t normally do (47 percent), and can push their physical limits (24 percent).
The results of this survey have "inspired" Nintendo to team up with the American Heart Association for "12 Days of Getting Active." The initiative consists of a series of daily tips to help make it easy for people to get active, even during this busy time of year.
The tips are being posted at www.activeplaynow.com, the joint American Heart Association-Nintendo online information center, and will focus on how active-play video games can help people stay healthy through the New Year.
