Influence of Pokémon Go on Physical Activity: Study and Implications (1610.02085v2)

Abstract: Physical activity helps people maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk for several chronic diseases. Although this knowledge is widely recognized, adults and children in many countries around the world do not get recommended amounts of physical activity. While many interventions are found to be ineffective at increasing physical activity or reaching inactive populations, there have been anecdotal reports of increased physical activity due to novel mobile games that embed game play in the physical world. The most recent and salient example of such a game is Pok\'emon Go, which has reportedly reached tens of millions of users in the US and worldwide. We study the effect of Pok\'emon Go on physical activity through a combination of signals from large-scale corpora of wearable sensor data and search engine logs for 32 thousand users over a period of three months. Pok\'emon Go players are identified through search engine queries and activity is measured through accelerometry. We find that Pok\'emon Go leads to significant increases in physical activity over a period of 30 days, with particularly engaged users (i.e., those making multiple search queries for details about game usage) increasing their activity by 1473 steps a day on average, a more than 25% increase compared to their prior activity level ($p<10^{-15}$). In the short time span of the study, we estimate that Pok\'emon Go has added a total of 144 billion steps to US physical activity. Furthermore, Pok\'emon Go has been able to increase physical activity across men and women of all ages, weight status, and prior activity levels showing this form of game leads to increases in physical activity with significant implications for public health. We find that Pok\'emon Go is able to reach low activity populations while all four leading mobile health apps studied in this work largely draw from an already very active population.

• The paper quantifies a 26% increase in activity, with frequent Pok players registering an average of 1,473 extra steps daily.
• It employs a longitudinal study design tracking 1,420 Pok players via wearable sensors over three months to compare pre- and post-engagement activity levels.
• The study highlights Pok’s effectiveness in engaging low-activity populations, contributing an estimated 144 billion steps in the US and significant public health benefits.

Influence of Pok on Physical Activity: A Study and Implications

The research paper under discussion offers an empirical investigation into the effect of the mobile game "Pok" on physical activity. Utilizing large-scale data from wearable sensors and search engine logs, the researchers analyzed the activity levels of 31,793 users to assess this association.

The paper primarily aims to quantify the impact of Pok on physical activity and draw comparisons with other mobile health applications. To achieve this, users were identified as Pok players via search query logs, and their activities were monitored through accelerometry data.

Methods and Analysis

The authors employed a longitudinal paper design over three months, tracking the physical activity of users before and after engaging with Pok. The game players were identified through specific search queries, considering the experiential nature of these queries as an indication of gameplay. A total of 1,420 users were classified as Pok players, with their activities measured via Microsoft Band devices.

Results

The results illuminate a significant increase in physical activity among Pok users. Particularly engaged users, those with frequent queries about the game, displayed an average rise of 1,473 steps daily, marking a 26% increase. Overall, an estimated total of 144 billion steps were attributed to Pok in the US alone.

The paper highlights that Pok's impact extends across diverse demographics—men and women, all age groups, weight statuses, and prior activity levels. Notably, the game proved more effective in reaching and engaging low-activity populations compared to four leading health apps, which largely attracted already active individuals.

Public Health Implications

The societal-scale impact of Pok on physical activity presents considerable implications for public health. If sustained, Pok could contribute significantly to life expectancy in the US, with an estimated potential increase of 2.825 million years. The research underscores the potential of integrating game-based interventions in public health strategies, given their appeal and efficacy in promoting physical activity across typically hard-to-engage populations.

Conclusions and Future Directions

The findings advocate for the exploration of geocentric games as complementary interventions to traditional physical activity programs. However, challenges such as sustaining long-term user engagement remain. Future research must focus on understanding the mechanics of user engagement and addressing factors that discourage prolonged participation.

This paper provides a foundational understanding of how innovative digital interventions like Pok can yield tangible health benefits by promoting increased physical activity. The intersection of gaming and health presents a promising avenue for enhancing public health outcomes, warranting deeper exploration and development.