One year after the release of Pokémon GO, studies reflect on the impact on human health of such app. The innovative app that drove people to leave home to catch digital creatures, defined as Pokémon (literally Pocket + Monsters), may be helpful in promoting an active lifestyle.

Imagine how would feel to be surrounded by little cute creatures that can be caught and collected, with no harm whatsoever. Imagine how competitive can get, when the prize is the glory of being the first one completing the collection. Pokémon GO enhances reality, by adding digital features capable of driving people to make efforts that normally they would have avoided.

In the age of automation and technology, where much time is spent driving a car, sitting in front of a computer playing games or surfing the internet, staying still glued to the smartphone chatting and watching videos, Pokémon GO offers an alternative, adding to the technologic aspect the requirement of an healthier lifestyle.

Pokémon can spawn hundred of metres away. The game requires players to walk to specific spawning locations to catch Pokémon, and as they stay there for a limited time, it further drives players to rush and engage in physical activity. Furthermore, some of the Pokémon can be achieved only by hatching Poké-eggs, which requires the player to walk for kilometres. Eggs come in sizes of 2km, 5km and 10km, with different prizes at stake, but still requiring a minimum significant walk. In short, if players do not walk, completing the game becomes an almost impossible task.

A recent study published in Games for Health Journal found that playing Pokémon GO might actually benefit health by promoting physical activity and exercise.

The study was conducted by Kent State University researchers Dr Jacob Barkley, Ph.D.,Dr Andrew Lepp, Ph.D., and Dr Ellen Glickman, Ph.D., and explored the potential of the Pokémon GO app in promoting exercise, by increasing active walking while decreasing sedentary behaviour.

The study analysed the behaviour of 350 college students, taking in account the amount of physical activity undertaken and the sedentary behaviour of the week preceding the download of the Pokémon GO app, the week following the download and then those of several weeks later.

The results outlined a drastic change between the weeks preceding and following the download of the app, with the college students doubling their walking behaviour (with an increase of 102%) and reducing their sedentary behaviour by 25%. Then, when analysing the physical behaviour several weeks after the download, the study found that, in comparison with the week preceding the download, walking behaviour was still 68% higher while sedentary behaviour still 18% lower, despite a decrease of frequency in playing Pokémon GO by 58%.

“While the largest increases in walking and decreases in sitting occurred during the first week after downloading, when the game was new to the user, those positive effects largely persisted weeks later,” Dr Barkley explains. “It is possible that games like Pokémon GO may help people initiate a positive health behaviour change, such as more daily walking and less sitting.”

The researchers suggested that even though many mobile apps and smartphone functions and services may increase sedentary life attitudes, there may still be app and games, such as Pokémon GO, capable of having a positive effect on walking behaviour, reducing in contrast the amount of sedentary activity.

Written by: Pietro Paolo Frigenti

Journal Reference: Jacob E. Barkley, Andrew Lepp, Ellen L. Glickman. “Pokémon Go!” May Promote Walking, Discourage Sedentary Behavior in College Students. Games for Health Journal, 2017; 6 (3): 165 DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2017.0009