Pokemon GO, which has become a phenomenon worldwide and is available to users of both Android and iOS, is now being claimed to be good for health. The Journal of the American Heart Association recently published a study which revealed the Pokemon GO users who regularly play it are healthier than those do not. In a time where most of the games keep the users indoor, Pokemon GO requires the user to go outdoor and perform physical activity to complete certain goals which the study finds to be the main contributor to benefits of the health.
The study which was conducted with the help of a handful of volunteer whose activities and health were recorded to see the impact of the game before and after its release further claimed,
"By playing Pokémon GO, an individual could walk nearly 2000 additional steps per day and is more likely to achieve a goal of 10 000+ steps per day, especially among those who spend more time playing Pokémon GO and those who are overweight/obese or have a lower baseline PA level. Games such as Pokémon GO may provide an alternative way to adopt an active lifestyle for persons who play them regularly."
The game includes a procedure where when a user wants to hatch eggs or travel to Pokestops which are part of the completion of missions, one has to walk which encourages real life physical activity. While it is a good start for the beginners who want to try an outdoor physical activity, it might not be a game changer in changing a person's lifestyle per say. The game influences people to walk and exercise which, according to the study, is unique. The game is so addictive that one is compelled to perform the physical activity which makes it all the more interesting.
Another study claimed that the physical activity that the game involves makes the players friendlier and happier than others.
The popularity of the game has decreased a lot since it was launched last year but events like Adventure Week hosted by developer Niantic where users were likely to catch more Pokemons than usual, continue to attract players. The next big event for Pokemon GO is the summer event which will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the game. The event is also supposed to reveal new features including PvP battles.
