As Wii enters its second year in market, players are still debating if it qualifies as exercise, but finally scientists decided to step.
Professor Gareth Stratton and colleagues at Liverpool John Moore's University asked six boys and five girls aged 13-15 to play Wii and Xbox 360 computer games for an hour. Wii players expended 60kcal (250 kJ) per hour more than Xbox 360 players.
Unfortunately, those calories are not enough to warrant Wii as a substitute for doing real sport.
"These increases were of insufficient intensity to contribute towards recommendations for children's daily exercise", said Professor Gareth Stratton.
But the professor didn't dismiss Wii's physical benefits. "Although this figure is trivial it might contribute to weight management. New generation computer games stimulated positive activity behaviours - the children were on their feet and they moved in all directions."
"Given the current prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, such positive behaviours should be encouraged", he added.
Young people are advised to take an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise each day, such as playing football.
