Phone game benefits faded after six weeks

Wednesday December 14th, 2016

The hit mobile phone game Pokemon GO was praised for increasing physical activity among users - but this may have only lasted six weeks, according to a new analysis.

The finding is among the quirky pieces of research traditionally collected in the Christmas edition of the BMJ.

Researchers at the Harvard TH Chan public health school in Massachusetts, USA, found more than 1,000 young adults with an app on their iPhones which recorded their daily number of steps.

The found that in the week after they installed the game the number of steps walked increased by more than 20%. But this only lasted six weeks.

Before the game arrived, they found, players and non-players took on average 4,256 steps a day. This increased on average by 955 after they began playing the game.

But the researchers said the game had shown the potential of "augmented reality" to improve physical activity.

Researcher Katherine Howe said: "They give people a reason to go outside, walk, and socialise. Imagine the potential of developing these games to not only increase physical activity but to also boost mental well-being, mood, cognitive abilities, and social interaction for patients, school-aged children, or seniors residing in nursing homes."

* A second study in the journal from the same school examined the extent to which people can smell asparagus in urine - after it is eaten.

A survey of nearly 7,000 people found that just 42% of men and 38% of women were able to smell the metabolites that arise from asparagus consumptions.

Further researcher identified some 871 genetic variations linked to the inability to smell the metabolites.

Gotta catch'em all! Pokémon GO and physical activity among young adults: difference in differences study. BMJ 14 December 2016; doi: 10.1136/bmj.i6270 [abstract]

Tags: Fitness | General Health | North America

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