Active Video Game Play in African American Children: The Effect of Gender and BMI on Exertion and Enjoyment

Applying the uses and gratifications theory (U&G), this study tested the influence of gender, body mass index type and past exercise experience on African American children's Wii game-playing experience and heart rate. A field experiment was conducted with a convenience sample of 51 African American children. Overall, the findings supported the proposition of using Wii games as alternative means of physical activity in African American children and suggested choosing games based on children's background information to maximize the effectiveness.