Pokemon go may be good for health

Aside from the addictive fun of wandering down sidewalks looking for Pokemon, the augmented reality game Pokemon Go is having a lasting impact on health. Doctors said that unlike other games, this one actually has physical and mental health benefits as it is getting people moving and thinking. They said that these kind of games, involving physical energy, should be encouraged. The popular game, where players hunt cartoon creatures, already has over 200 million users worldwide. “To progress in the game, one must walk around and find and catch Pokemon. Stopping at Pokestops, catching different Pokemon requires a lot of walking, which is good news. This game has been a catalyst for getting people moving and walking,” said Dr Anoop Misra, chairperson of the Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology. According to Dr Misra, it is likely that the motivation that the game gives people to exercise may, over a period of time, produce a significant impact on obesity and diabetes, especially in young adults — an age-group where obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing. Dr Misra and his team have sent a hypothesis to a reputed medical journal suggesting that countries where obesity is increasing in the younger generation, Pokemon Go could be one answer. Experts feel that games which combine physical activity, or “exergames”, like Pokemon Go, Zombies Run, Ingress, 7 Minute Superhero Workout and others could be interesting fields of research. “Such ‘exergames’ will, undoubtedly, be used more by teenagers and young adults, who are savvy with smartphones and computer-based games and can help improving their health,” Dr Misra said. There are about 2 billion smartphone users worldwide and 204 million in India. The Pokemon Go mobile app, which makes you search for Pokemon in your surrounding areas and landmarks, is already the highest-grossing game in the US and other countries.

“Pokemon Go has made me exercise more this week than a gym membership ever did”, said a gamer who was quoted in a recent article in VOX.

An observational study of patients at primary care clinics in Los Angeles county showed that 32 per cent of them used mobile apps related to health. “I suggest that there should be more scientific studies to get into the depth of the impact of such activities,” Dr Misra said.