[rda part deux]

MY FINAL PAPER!! let me know what you all think!

Abstract
This study examines the link between playing interactive video games (Wii Tennis) and the decrease of BMI in college students over a four week period. Applying Wii Tennis as the independent variable and the participant’s BMI as the dependent variable shows that physical activity results in a lower BMI. Researchers have shown that the relationship of inactivity while playing stationary video games correlates with weight gain in participants of younger ages.


This research study shows the correlation of interactive video games and the participants’ BMI. In previous studies, it has been hypothesized that living a sedentary lifestyle can result in weight gain. Researchers have studied the link between childhood obesity and activity level. “Results also indicated that children with higher weight status spent more time in sedentary activities than those with lower weight status” (Vandewater, Shim, Caplovitz., 2004).
In other research, researchers hypothesized that inactivity in elders has also caused weight gain and even death. “Although the physical activity is a very basic lifestyle activity, the physical inactivity has been estimated to cause 1.9 million deaths worldwide annually” (Aslan et al., 2008).
Researchers have studied the link between stationary video games and weight gain in children, and between inactivity and death in elderly, whereas our study explores the actual use of interactive video games leading to a decrease in weight in college students. We predicted that playing Wii Tennis 5 days a week over the course of a four week period will reduce the body’s BMI.

Method
Participants
The participants in this study were college level students ages 18-24. There was no regulation on ethnicity or year of the college student participants. There were 24 total participants, 12 in the control group (participants not playing the Wii) and 12 in the experimental group (participants playing the Wii). Participants who chose to partake in our study were given a survey to discard confounds. We used an equal number of males to females found through Sona Systems and fliers posted throughout the university.
Measures
This study is done by measuring the participants’ mean BMI before and after the four week period. The Body Mass Index formula is (Weight in Pounds/Height in Inches2) X 703. The BMI formula was used from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. We used a scale that calculates in pounds and a tape measure to calculate the height in inches. The Nintendo Wii was used as the physical activity done during the four week period in a controlled setting. Participants played Wii Tennis for thirty minutes daily Monday-Friday and their BMI were calculated each night to average a mean.

Procedure
A survey to discard confounds (see survey 1.1) was posted in locations throughout the university and also through Sona Systems to find the participants. Any participant that did not fit the criteria was discarded. The remaining participants were put in groups of male and female. 12 females and 12 males were chosen at random, and among those 6 females and 6 males were chosen at random for each of the control and the experiment, equaling 24 participants. The participants were asked to maintain their current lifestyle without making any changes and to eat as they would regularly.
For the experimental participants, a room in the university was assigned at six o’clock p.m. Monday through Friday with the chairs cleared of the room to allow maximum space to be utilized. A television and a Nintendo Wii were provided, along with the Wii tennis game. The Nintendo Wii remotes had a protective cover around them so the participants could not harm one another by mistake. They were also asked to stand in a measured three by three square, two in front and two in back to minimize accidents caused by swinging arms. (see table 1.3) The participants were asked to weigh in and to have their height measured each night at six o’clock p.m. Monday through Friday. The data was recorded on a chart for further use. (see table 1.1)
Groups of four participants (for the experiment) were scheduled for two fifteen minute increments. After the first fifteen minutes, they were given an eight ounce cup of water and a five minute rest. After the last session of Wii Tennis, they were given another eight ounce glass of water and were allowed to go home. This regiment continued Monday through Friday for four consecutive weeks.
The control group was asked for their weight and their height every night Monday through Friday at six o’clock p.m. Their BMI was recorded on a chart as well. (see table 1.1) The participants were also asked to not change their usual eating habits and lifestyles. At the end of the research we took each individual BMI before and after the testing and found a mean for each participant. This was also done for the experiment group. (see table 1.2)
We used T-Repeated Measures to identify a difference in the before and after in both the experimental and the control group.

Results
At the end of the research, we took the individual BMI for each participant and added them together to get a mean BMI score. We then added the BMI scores at the end of the experiment to calculate its mean. We used this same procedure for the control group to calculate both the before and after mean. For the experimental group we used the T-Repeated measures to calculate the t-crit to see if it fell within the critical range. We also used this formula for the control group with both groups using an alpha of .05 in a two tailed test. This study expected to see a decrease in the DV’s BMI.

Discussion
This study intended to prove whether or not physical activity using the Nintendo Wii would help decrease one’s BMI. Using the methods implicated above, we are hoping to be able to prove our hypothesis and inspire college students to be more active in their every day lives. This study relates to previous studies about the negatives involved in stationary video games and the resulting increase in BMI. Although, previous studies explored the opposite effects, we are using a physical game rather than just motion with one’s hands while remaining stationary in front of a television. If we were to pick another study, we would use a more physically enduring activity such as Dance Dance Revolution because that involves more physical labor. It has a better chance in increasing heart rate as well as sweat to produce a number outside of the critical range.