University of Aberdeen researchers are trying to recruit 18 to 25 year-olds onto a healthier lifestyle study to see if the Wii Fit might help lure them back to exercise.
Scientists want to see if this age group can be encouraged to be more active if they can find an exercise that interests them and which they can potentially do at home in the comfort of their own living room.
Dr Lorna Aucott is helping supervise the study which will see volunteers attending 45-minute sessions twice a week for 12 weeks either at the University’s Health Sciences Building at Foresterhill or at Aberdeen Sports Village.
“Young people tend to start dropping out of sports and exercise from about 15 onwards when they discover other activities,” she said.
“In addition, previous results including our own, indicate that from the age of 17 when they start becoming more independent - when they move away from home, cook more for themselves, have irregular meal patterns, spend more time eating out and socialising and so on - lifestyles often become more chaotic with less healthy behaviours which can continue into later life.
“We know that 18 to 25-year-olds like playing computer games. We want to see if using the Wii Fit can encourage our volunteers to lead a more active lifestyle by letting them see that they can exercise and have fun at the same time.
“Hopefully if we can encourage some people to try active gaming they may also see other health benefits from increasing their overall physical activity levels.”
Volunteers will initially have their height, weight and blood pressures measured and then take a fitness test in the lab. Blood samples may also be taken, if participants agree, as this will give a more reliable measure of any physiological changes.
Would-be volunteers aged between 18 and 25 who do less than 30 minutes exercise a day should ring 01224 438414 or email r02jmb13@abdn.ac.uk
The research team is also hoping 15 to 25-year-olds will come along to a Healthy Fun Day being planned for Inchgarth Community Centre on November 7 between 7pm and 10pm where lots of physical and dietary activities will be on offer.