The BMJ recently conducted a study that compared the relationship between Pokemon GO and physical activity among young adults. After an observation that lasted for about six weeks, the study has found that Niantic‘s popular mobile app was associated with an increase in the daily number of steps after installation of the game. The results for this study are as follows:
560 (47.4%) of the survey participants reported playing Pokémon GO and walked on average 4256 steps (SD 2697) each day in the four weeks before installation of the game. The difference in difference analysis showed that the daily average steps for Pokémon GO players during the first week of installation increased by 955 additional steps (95% confidence interval 697 to 1213), and then this increase gradually attenuated over the subsequent five weeks. By the sixth week after installation, the number of daily steps had gone back to pre-installation levels. No significant effect modification of Pokémon GO was found by sex, age, race group, bodyweight status, urbanity, or walkability of the area of residence.
Source: The BMJ
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