Comparative Physiological Impact of Television Viewing and Video Gaming in Young Adults: Cardiopulmonary and Metabolic Responses

Introduction: This study examines cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses in young adults during two sedentary activities: watching television and playing seated video games. Sedentary behavior (SB), defined as activities with ≤1.5 METs performed while seated, is associated with increased cardiovascular risks and mortality. While television viewing correlates with adverse health outcomes, video gaming in adolescence is linked to fewer cardiovascular risks. However, their impacts on young adults remain unclear. Methods: Twelve male kinesiology students (mean age: 22.6 ± 2.1 years) from the Universidad de Santiago de Chile participated in a cross-sectional study. Two 80-min sessions—television viewing and video gaming—were structured into Pre-Activity (10 min), Activity (60 min), and Post-Activity (10 min) phases. Oxygen consumption (VO₂), carbon dioxide production (VCO₂), heart rate (HR), and breathing parameters were measured. Energy expenditure (EE) and metabolic equivalents (METs) were calculated from expired gas samples. Results: Video gaming elicited significantly higher HR and breathing rates (p < 0.01), as well as greater VO₂, VCO₂, EE, and METs (p < 0.05) compared to television viewing, indicating higher metabolic and cardiovascular demand. However, the energy expenditure during gaming remained within the sedentary range, failing to exceed basal metabolic rates. Conclusion: Video gaming is more metabolically demanding than television viewing but does not qualify as light physical activity. These findings emphasize the need for public health strategies that differentiate between sedentary behaviors and promote more vigorous activities to mitigate sedentary lifestyle risks. © 2024