We can provide thoughtful guidance in areas from arcade game selection to initial site selection, feasibility studies, space planning, interior design, building plans, food and beverage operations, prize redemption centers and marketing of your business, along with some great ideas for your initial opening and the successful promotion of your new facility.
What type of games should I get? How much space do I need, or how many games will fit in my space? What do typical games cost? Are their governmental laws affecting arcades? What about liability insurance? Where should I locate my arcade?
Should I target kids, adults or both? What is the best way to advertise my arcade? Should I buy or lease my games? If you are not ready to take the first step in planning your Arcade or FEC at this time, and you are just looking for some general information on starting a new arcade, fun center or family entertainment center, you might want to read our section on Starting a New Family Entertainment Center or Arcade Business for some additional information on the basic requirements for starting new arcade projects.
If you have obtained financing and ready to begin planning and building your facility , our Arcade Consultancy Service can help guide you in starting and executing your arcade, amusement or entertainment venue project. We are able to offer our advice in person at your location anywhere in the world, or via telephone or Skype, on topics such as obtaining initial site feasibility or site selection, design and theming services and equipment selection and procurement, all the way to complete turnkey project management.
We also offer other many other related services from our strategic partners that are designed to help you successfully launch your new facility as economically and quickly as possible. Please note that due to the dynamic nature of our industry, with product availability and pricing changing with little notice we cannot offer formal product cost estimates or quotations more than 90 days in advance of purchase.
Clientes : Contacte Sr. Luis Canon en el Departamento de Ventas Latinoamericano est? The scale will also calculate your BMI using the height in your Fitbit profile, which is extra convenient.
The main drawback of this smart scale compared to most of the others in this roundup is that it doesn't provide body composition data, so you won't learn your fat, muscle, water and bone mass. However, if you're not overly interested in that additional data then you may appreciate the convenience instead.
When we tested it, we were impressed by how quick and simple it is to set up provided you already have the Fitbit app on your phone, it takes just moments and how quickly results are delivered. This is a Bluetooth-only smart scale, so your phone will need to be nearby for your data to sync, but that's not too much of a hardship. Read our full Fitbit Aria Air review. She's a trained run leader, and enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the pavement.
If you have a story about fitness trackers, treadmills, running shoes, e-bikes, or any other fitness tech, drop her a line. North America.
Included in this guide: 1. We've tested and ranked the best smart scales you can buy today. Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale 2. Accurate, sleek and simple to use, the best smart scale you can buy. Reasons to avoid - Doesn't measure heart rate - No Wi-Fi connectivity. Eufy Smart Scale C1. Specifications Body composition: Yes.
Bluetooth: Yes. Maximum users: Reasons to avoid - Fairly small platform. Maximum users: 8. Reasons to avoid - Not the cheapest option. FitTrack Dara. Reasons to avoid - App needs more detail. Withings Body Cardio. Reasons to avoid - Expensive. Garmin Index S2. Fitbit Aria Air.
Specifications Body composition: No. Maximum users: Unlimited. Reasons to avoid - No body composition data. To examine associations between video game play and obesity in children. In a review of 8 systematic reviews, there was preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of exergame physically active play for weight reduction and to attenuate weight gain but little indication that interventions effectively reduced video game play or general screen-time.
This review found ambiguous evidence on the extent to which video game play is or is not significantly associated with obesity in children and preliminary evidence of exergame play as a tool for weight reduction and attenuation of weight gain.
Several gaps existed in understanding the relationship between video game play and obesity, and prospective and interventional trials are needed. The additional use of screens in daily life is a major concern as high amounts of television TV viewing have been linked to higher obesity prevalence in children [ 4 ] and adverse energy-balance related behaviors including consumption of unhealthy foods while viewing TV [ 5 ] and lower physical activity, as screen-time has traditionally been a sedentary behavior [ 6 ].
Research assessing the impact of video game play on young players is needed to keep pace with a rapidly evolving video game industry that remains highly popular and increasingly complex. At a time when youth are surrounded by a multitude of screen and technology options, the popularity of video games has stood the test of time. Time spent playing video games is quickly exceeding TV viewing in children [ 8 ], potentially due to the virtual and immersive social interaction [ 9 ] and the proliferation of inexpensive or free digital games on a variety of devices.
This evolution has concerned the public health and lay community as video games have been linked to poor social development and delayed cognition in children as young as preschool [ 10 ]. Early reports in , including a meta-analysis and a cross-sectional examination, found children who had a higher weight status reported more frequent video game play [ 13 , 14 ].
Interest in this sedentary behavior continued with a meta-analysis in that found inconsistent results with video game play and obesity in children, though when video games were combined with TV, there was a significant positive association [ 15 ].
The increasing exposure and advances in video games in the past five years, coupled with the historically high prevalence of childhood obesity, warrant an updated review of the association of video game play with childhood obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to critically review potential associations between video game play and obesity in children by examining recently published observational studies and interventions. Accordingly, we sought to answer three main questions.
What is the current state of observational evidence cross-sectional and prospective data published in the most recent 5 years on the relationship between video game play and childhood obesity? Part 1. To what extent do video games serve as an effective intervention tool for healthy weight in children?
Part 2. What gaps still exist in understanding the relationship between video games and obesity, in particular energy balance behaviors? Part 3. Observational studies in a child population average age 2. Studies that included video games as a mediator or moderator of an association between a predictor variable obesity-related behaviors such as sleep or diet and obesity were also included [ 20 , 21 ].
Studies were excluded if they were conducted in children with a chronic condition such as autism or in adults; used a non-observational study design such as case study, intervention, qualitative study, or systematic review ; involved video game development such as characters or features of video games ; or were specific to video game addiction tendencies. Full text articles of selected abstracts were independently assessed for inclusion by the same authors.
Any disagreement in eligibility after the abstract or full text process was resolved by the third author AES. Reference lists of the included articles were scanned for relevance.
Data were extracted into a pre-piloted form including type of study; population characteristics age, race, setting, and country ; study methodology; measures of video game play and obesity; and main results. The selection of studies is detailed in Figure 1.
Three hundred and twenty articles, including articles from initial search and one article through reference lists of included full text articles, were identified. After removing 84 duplicates, original articles were screened. Forty-three systematic reviews or meta-analyses from original screening of articles were assessed for eligibility in Part 2. The remaining 4 articles are discussed in Part 2 they pertain to exergames [ 22 — 24 ] or general video games [ 25 ], and they present aggregate findings.
Seventy-two articles remained for full-text screening. Twenty-six articles were ultimately selected for data extraction [ 20 , 21 , 26 — 49 ]. Descriptive characteristics of the included articles are reported in Table 1. In total, 25 cross-sectional studies and one longitudinal study with follow-up of 2 years were identified. The youngest age range included was 2—13 years [ 29 ], as most focused on the 10—12 year old age range [ 28 , 30 , 36 , 45 — 47 , 49 ] or included a broad age range of adolescents ages 11—18 years old [ 20 , 26 , 27 , 32 , 37 , 39 , 42 ].
The oldest data were collected in [ 35 ], and the most recent data collection was [ 48 ], with all other studies occurring between these time points. One article was reported twice in Table 1 as the study reported both on video game play before bed and presence of a video game console in the bedroom [ 49 ], and two articles came from one research study [ 39 , 40 ]. No article found an inverse relationship between video game play and obesity.
In the 11 articles that assessed duration of video game play in general, seven articles did not find an association in adjusted models [ 21 , 31 , 33 — 35 , 37 , 43 ] while the other four articles reported significant associations [ 26 , 28 , 38 , 47 ].
Two of the non-significant article found positive associations between video game play on weekdays and obesity in crude models but this association was no longer significant in models adjusted for sociodemographic variables or other health behaviors [ 42 , 44 ]. For the two articles that did observe significant associations between weekday video game play and obesity, Gates et al.
Of the five articles examining video game play before bedtime, one article reported no association between video games before bed and obesity [ 30 ], with the other four reporting significant associations with frequency of video games [ 39 ], access to video games [ 49 ] or via a mediation model including poor sleep [ 20 , 40 ]. Few articles reported on the indirect relationships between video gaming and obesity via other health behaviors.
Preliminary evidence indicated that video game play may be related to higher carbohydrate intake [ 21 ] and insufficient sleep [ 20 , 39 ], but this evidence is limited. There were patterns distinguishing the articles that did or did not observe a significant association of video game play with obesity.
Articles that found a positive association between video game play and obesity typically collected data after [ 20 , 45 — 49 ] except for one where data were collected in [ 39 , 40 ].
Articles reporting a positive association also typically combined video games with other screen devices namely mobile phones and computer use , making it difficult to parse out the independent relationship of video game play and obesity aside from these other types of screen-time [ 47 , 48 ]. However, articles that combined video game play with computer or other devices that collected data prior to found little or no association [ 30 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 ].
There were no consistent differences in results based on whether obesity was classified by self-report or objectively measured. There is limited comment to be made on the longitudinal influence of video games on the incidence of obesity as only one longitudinal study was identified, and this study drew upon data collected more than 10 years ago [ 26 ].
Overall, there is inconsistent evidence of the relationship between video gaming and obesity, with just over half of articles indicating no significant association between video game play and obesity. Longitudinal studies that report specifically on video game play exclusive of other screen time and include newer generation video games like exergames and mobile games is required to understand relationships between modern video game play and obesity in this quickly evolving technological landscape.
Further, the role of video game play on obesity-related behaviors warrants further attention. In recent years, video game play has been a behavioral target for weight reduction and attenuation among children and adolescents — on the one hand, to reduce sedentary video game play and, conversely, to manipulate traditionally sedentary video games into physically active game play.
Descriptive characteristics of the included reviews are shown in Table 2. Two systematic reviews published in the past 5 years surveyed randomized controlled trials RCTs that targeted screen-time reduction in children and adolescents; both reviews revealed that most interventions have failed to effectively reduce screen-time [ 25 , 50 ].
Without effectively changing the behavioral target, it is challenging to examine the influence of reduced screen-time or, more specifically, reduced time spent playing video games on weight.
Wu et al. Marsh et al. Two trials created a behavioral contingency where the child was required to be physically active to watch TV, and two trials examined exergames as a strategy to incorporate physical activity into video games. There were inconsistencies in the effectiveness of these interventions to reduce sedentary time: ten trials significantly reduced sedentary time whereas seven did not.
Sixteen of the 17 trials reported body weight or body composition as a secondary outcome. Findings on weight outcomes from the other 14 trials were not reported.
Contrary to restricting screen-time, video games have also been examined as potential tools to reduce weight and improve obesogenic behaviors in children and adolescents, using the games to teach or reinforce healthy eating strategies or to engage the player in physical activity. Lu et al. Three published trials involved health games that researchers developed to promote healthy eating; two of these trials effectively improved eating habits including fruit and vegetable consumption whereas one did not; however, none affected obesity outcomes.
The other 25 video games examined were exergames, which has become the predominant video game genre being examined for potential weight-related outcomes. Exergames may offer opportunities for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity MVPA , which the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans concluded is associated with reduced risk of excess weight gain in children [ 54 ].
The Youth Compendium of Physical Activities, compiled from a literature search of published energy expenditure data in youth, reported physical activity intensities from exergame play based on the specific type of exergame and the age range; intensities ranged from the lowest of 1.
Further, a meta-analysis of 35 studies conducted by Gao et al. Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses published prior to similarly indicated that exergaming can reach levels of light-to-moderate intensity physical activity [ 56 — 58 ]. Therefore, exergames have been examined in recent years a potential physical activity tool to reduce excessive weight gain among children and adolescents.
Six systematic reviews were identified that surveyed the effects of exergaming interventions on change in weight among children and adolescents and included in this analysis [ 22 — 24 , 53 , 59 , 60 ].
In general, authors across the systematic reviews acknowledged that the evidence for exergaming affecting obesity outcomes is inconclusive. As expected, there was significant overlap in the included studies across the systematic reviews.
LeBlanc et al. Four of the six RCTs attenuated weight gain, including all three RCTs focused exclusively on overweight youth or youth with obesity and one RCT that included normal weight participants. None of the three non-RCT intervention studies observed weight loss among youth who were normal weight or overweight. Lamboglia et al. Finally, Lu et al. Exergaming has been incorporated into two published pediatric weight loss trials [ 61 , 62 ]. Trost et al.
Exergames were housed at the recreation center where families attended weight management sessions, and participants were encouraged to engage in 3 hours of additional exercise each week outside of the sessions. Newer mobile-based video games such as geocaching and augmented reality games like Pokemon Go have been recently investigated as strategies to promote physical activity, but there were no systematic reviews available.
Gamification has also been identified as a potential strategy to promote healthy behaviors. However, gamification does not meet the definition of a video game; gamification applies game design principles such as competition or rewards to a non-game context, without involving a fully immersive video game [ 65 ]. Overall, there is inconclusive evidence that video games directly influence childhood obesity, from both observational and intervention studies. There are multiple opportunities for future areas of research into video game play and its potential effects on childhood obesity, including better capturing quality or content not just quantity of video game play as related to obesity and related behaviors.
Video games may positively influence snacking and unhealthy energy intake, which can lead to positive energy balance and excess weight gain [ 21 , 66 ]. Similar mechanisms have been proposed for TV viewing, which may evoke similar sedentary behavior as traditional console-based sedentary video game play but differ from mobile-based gaming [ 50 , 67 , 68 ].
There is a growing interest in video game play before bedtime due to delaying sleep onset and shortening sleep duration, as youth with shorter sleep duration have been shown to consume more calories [ 69 , 70 ] and have higher prevalence of obesity [ 71 ].
Co-participation and within game socialization are areas to be investigated as social interaction is a main feature of many video games and may differentially impact obesity-related behaviors [ 72 ]. Two-thirds of parents play video games with their child at least once a week, thus reducing parental screen-time may influence child video game play [ 1 ]. This area warrants additional research. The assessment of video game play needs to extend into other popular modalities such as esport leagues, which are competitive video game leagues including both individual and team options [ 73 ].
The mass use and social acceptability of video gaming may have downstream influences on energy-related behaviors on children [ 75 ]. While this review did not specifically examine video game addiction, further investigations are needed into pathways of video game addiction and potential links to obesity [ 72 ].
Video game addiction has been associated other negative outcomes, including lower school performance and higher substance use in adolescence [ 76 ] and problematic gaming behaviors later in life [ 77 ]. Strengths of the current body of literature include that there are several reports of video game play and obesity specifically in children and adolescents. The relationship of video game play with other obesity metrics such as body fat percentage are also beginning to be reported in the scientific literature to add precision beyond anthropometry [ 28 , 29 , 43 ].
Further, more investigation of potential mediation and moderation models [ 20 , 40 ] will help to advance the understanding of the complex relationship between video game play and obesity via behavioral mechanisms. There are still many limitations and areas of improvement in this field. A chief limitation is the lack of prospective trials. In the 12 of 26 articles that did report significant associations between video game play and obesity, it is not possible to identify causal relationships.
Is video game play causing childhood obesity, or are children with obesity more likely to play video games, or does video game play cluster with other obesogenic behaviors like higher dietary intake and poor sleep and these behaviors may independently explain observed associations? Another limitation of the literature is that video games advance at a much faster speed than study protocols.
This lag limits the potential for long-term studies and creates a constantly evolving definition of video games.
These challenges may be surmountable with nimble protocol designs and industry-research partnerships [ 78 ]. Finally, the objective measurement of video game play has not yet advanced, and research has continually relied on self-report data. Objective measures of television use are possible [ 79 ], but video game consoles can also be used for many other purposes streaming services , video games can be played on multiple platforms cell phone, console, or computer , and modern video game play varies widely in terms of content e.
Overall, there is inconclusive evidence that video games are associated with obesity and, due to the lack of longitudinal studies, virtually no evidence to evaluate if video game play directly contributes to obesity or weight gain in children.
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