Participation in Computer Games Vs. Coordination Motor Abilities and Body Composition in Boys From Rural Areas of Poland

• Authors: Stanisław Sterkowicz , Janusz Jaworski
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Purpose. The present study attempted to determine the effect of the number of hours spent playing computer games per week on somatic characteristics and the performance of selected coordination motor abilities. Methods. Ninety-seven prepubertal boys from rural areas of southern Poland were recruited. Selected coordination motor abilities were assessed by use of computer tests and a questionnaire was administered to determine the amount of time spent playing computer games. Basic somatic characteristics such as body height, body mass, body fat percentage (%PF), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Descriptive statistics were calculated mean and standard deviation ( , sd) for the studied coordination abilities and somatic characteristics. One-way ANOVA for independent samples was employed to determine the differentiation between the results of the studied variables depending on the mean numbers of hours spent playing computer games per week. Results. Analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the results and the number of hours spent playing games, specifically for kinesthetic differentiation, spatial orientation, and the speed, accuracy, and precision of movements (in the number of committed errors). The lowest somatic characteristics including BMI was observed in the group of boys who spent the least amount of time playing computer games. Conclusions. It was found playing computer games 8 to 11 hours a week positively affected coordination motor ability, although individuals who played more than this amount of computer games had a higher incidence to be overweight or obese.

Keywords

EN

computer games; coordination; body build; rural population

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Human Movement
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 4-10

Dates

published

1 - 03 - 2013

online

24 - 04 - 2013

Contributors

author

Stanisław Sterkowicz

• University School of Physical Education, Instytut Sportu Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego, al. Jana Pawła II 78, 31-571, Kraków, Poland

author

Janusz Jaworski

• University School of Physical Education, Kraków, Poland

References

• 1. Grusser S.M., Thalemann R., Griffiths M.D., Excessive Computer Game Playing: Evidence for Addiction and Aggression? Cyberpsychol Behav, 2007, 10 (2), 290-292, doi: 10.1089/cpb.2006.9956.[Crossref]
• 2. Mitrofan O., Paul M., Spencer N., Is aggression in children with behavioural and emotional difficulties associated with television viewing and video game playing? A systematic review. Child Care Health Dev, 2009, 35 (1), 5-15, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00912.x.[WoS][Crossref]
• 3. Griffiths M.D., Wardle H., Orford J., Sproston K., Erens B., Socio-demographic correlates of Internet gambling: findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey. Cyberpsychol Behav, 2009, 12 (2), 199-202, doi: 10.1089/cpb.2008.0196.[Crossref][WoS]
• 4. Matthews N., Farnsworth B., Griffiths M.D., A Pilot Study of Problem Gambling among Student Online Gamblers: Mood States as Predictors of Problematic Behavior. CyberpsycholBehav, 2009, 12 (6), 741-745, doi: 10.1089/ cpb.2009.0050.[WoS][Crossref]
• 5. World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Rep. WHO Consult. World Health Organization, Geneva 1998.
• 6. Marshall S.J., Biddle S.J.H., Gorely T., Cameron N., Murdey I., Relationships between media use, body fatness and physical activity in children and youth: a meta-analysis. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 2004, 28 (10), 1238-1246.[Crossref]
• 7. Schneider M., Dunton G.F., Cooper D.M., Media use and obesity in adolescent females. Obesity, 2007, 15 (9), 2328-2335, doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.276.[Crossref]
• 8. Swinburn B., Shelly A., Effects of TV time and other sedentary pursuits. Int J Obes, 2008, 32 (suppl. 7), 132-136, doi: 10.1038/ijo.2008.249.[WoS][Crossref]
• 9. Ritterfeld U., Shen C., Wang H., Nocera L., Wong W.L., Multimodality and interactivity: connecting properties of serious games with educational outcomes. CyberpsycholBehav, 2009,12(6), 691-697, doi: 10.1089=cpb.2009.0099.[WoS]
• 10. Baranowski T., Buday R., Thompson D.I., Baranowski J., Playing for real. Video games and stories for health-related behavior change. Am J Prev Med, 2008, 34 (1), 74-82, doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2007.09.027.[Crossref][WoS]
• 11. Green C.S., Bavelier D., Action-Video-Game Experience Alters the Spatial Resolution of Vision. Psychol Sci, 2007, 18 (1), 88-94.[Crossref]
• 12. Griffiths M.D., Video games and health. Video gaming is safe for most players and can be useful in health care. BrMed J, 2005, 331, 122-123, doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7509.122.[Crossref]
• 13. Wack E., Tantleff-Dunn S., Relationships between electronic game play, obesity, and psychosocial functioning in young men. Cyberpsychol Behav, 2009, 12 (2), 241-244, doi: 10.1089/cpb.2008.0151.[WoS][PubMed][Crossref]
• 14. Baumann M., Slimming Down with Wii Sports. InformationToday, 2007, 4, 47-47.
• 15. Murphy E.C., Carson L., Neal W., Baylis C., Donley D., Yeater R., Effects of an exercise intervention using Dance Dance Revolution on endothelial function and other risk factors in overweight children. Int J Pediatr Obes, 2009, 4 (4), 205-214, doi: 10.3109/17477160902846187.[Crossref][WoS]
• 16. Trout J., Zamora K., Using Dance Dance Revolution in Physical Education. Teaching Elementary Physical Education, 2005, 5, 22-25.
• 17. Clark R., Kraemer T., Clinical use of Nintendo Wii bowling simulation to decrease fall risk in an elderly resident of a nursing home: a case report. J Geriatr PhysTher, 2009, 32 (4), 174-180.[Crossref]
• 18. Hirtz P., Forschungszirkel, “N.A. Bernstain”. Phenomena of the human motor development [in German]. Hofmann, Schorndorf 2007.
• 19. Sterkowicz S., Jaworski J., Evaluation of accuracy of own set of computer tests for measurement of chosen co-ordination motor abilities (pilot study) [in Polish]. Antropomotoryka, 2006, 36, 81-90.
• 20. Domholdt E., Physical Therapy Research. Principles and Applications. 2nd ed. WB Saunders, Philadelphia 2000, 347-359.
• 21. Juras G., Słomka K., Fredyk A., Sobota G., Bacik B., Evaluation of the Limits of Stability (LOS) Balance Test. J HumKinet, 2008, 19 (1), 39-52, doi: 10.2478/v10078-008-0003-0.[Crossref]
• 22. Cole T.J., Bellizzi M.C., Flegal K.M., Dietz W.H., Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. Br Med J, 2000, 320, 1240-1243, doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7244.1240.[Crossref]
• 23. Hesketh K., Wake M., Graham M., Waters E., Stability of television viewing and electronic game/computer use in a prospective cohort study of Australian children: relationship with body mass index. Int J Behav Nutr PhysAct, 2007, 4, 60-67, doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-4-60.[Crossref][WoS]
• 24. Rideout V.G., Roberts D.F., Foehr U.G., Generation M: media in the lives of 8-18 year-olds. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park 2005.
• 25. Papastergiou M., Exploring the potential of computer and video games for health and physical education: A literature review. Computers and Education, 2009, 3, 603-622, doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.04.001.[Crossref]
• 26. McSwegin P.J., Pemberton C., O’Banion N., The effects of controlled videogame playing on the eye-hand coordination and reaction time of children. In: Clarke J.E., Humphrey J.H. (eds.), Advances in motor development research. AMS Press, New York 1987, 97-102.
• 27. Orosy-Fildes C., Allan R.W., Psychology of computer use: XII. Videogame play: human reaction time to visual stimuli./Psychologie de l’ utilisation de l’ ordinateur: XII. Jeu video: temps de reaction au stimuli visuals. PerceptMotor Skill, 1989, 69, 243-247, doi: 10.2466/pms.1989. 69.1.243.[Crossref]
• 28. Satyen L., Improving reaction time performance through video game training. Australian Journal of Psychology, Suppl., 2003, 55, 90-90.
• 29. Dye M.W.G., Green C.S., Bavelier D., Increasing Speed of Processing With Action Video Games. Curr Dir PsycholSci, 2009, 18 (6), 321-326, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8721. 2009.01660.x.[Crossref][WoS]
• 30. Griffith J.L., Voloschin P., Gibb G.D., Bailey J.R., Differences in eye-hand motor coordination of video-game users and non-users. Percept Motor Skill, 1983, 57, 155-158, doi: 10.2466/pms.1983.57.1.155.[Crossref]
• 31. Green C.S., Bavelier D., Effect of action video games on the spatial distribution of visuospatial attention. J ExpPsychol Hum Percept Perform, 2006, 32 (6), 1465-1478, doi: 10.1037/0096-1523.32.6.1465.[Crossref]
• 32. Barlett C.P., Anderson C.A., Swing E.L., Video Game Effects - Confirmed, Suspected, and Speculative: A Review of the Evidence. Simulat Gaming, 2009, 40 (3), 377-403, doi: 10.1177/1046878108327539.[Crossref]
• 33. Dye M.W.G., Green C.S., Bavelier D., The Development of Attention Skills in Action Video Game Players. Neuropsychologia, 2009, 47 (8-9), 1780-1789, doi: 10.1016/j. neuropsychologia.2009.02.002.[Crossref][WoS]
• 34. Carandente F., Roveda E., Montaruli A., Pizzini G., Nutrition, activity behavior and body constitution in primary school children. Biol Sport, 2009, 26 (4), 349-367.
• 35. Vicente-Rodriguez G., Rey-Lopez J. P., Martin-Matillas M., Moreno L.A., Warnberg J., Redondo C. et al., Television watching, videogames, and excess of body fat in Spanish adolescents: The AVENA study. Nutrition, 2008, 24 (7-8), 654-662, doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2008.03.011.[Crossref][WoS]

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10038-012-0048-8