Last week the results of a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics disproved the belief held by many parents that playing “active” video games like Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution could increase their kids’ activity levels. However, before you throw away your Wii Fit systems and go back to the drawing board, let’s take a look at the study to determine whether video game fitness really is too good to be true.

Here is a quick recap of the study:

Initial responses from researchers, doctors, and lay readers have noted the following issues with the study methods and conclusions:

So maybe kids’ playing time just needs closer monitoring, or kids need a different game system, or to play different games. But would that really make a difference in the results? Perhaps the problem lies in the expectation that playing an active game would make a child more active.

Kids need help developing a healthy, fit lifestyle. Giving a kid a Wii remote is not going to promote a lifestyle change, and I would argue that just giving a kid a soccer ball or a pair of tap shoes won’t do it either.

Most kids need a little encouragement and coaching from family and friends to get active. Team sports, dance classes, and playtime (riding bikes, skating, playing tag, etc.) are fun activities that incorporate interactivity. Creating opportunities for interactivity with parents, siblings, and friends is one of the best ways to guarantee that kids, and families as a whole, are reaching the recommended levels of daily activity.

In other words, I wonder if a family Dance Dance Revolution tournament would be more likely to turn into a Dance Dance Marathon?