An apple a day keeps the doctor at bay, so the old wives' tale goes. But so might certain videogames, now that researchers have finally quantified the benefits of playing active games like Wii Sports.

In a study of 15 young ’uns by Nottingham Trent University, the Department of Health and Nottingham University Hospital, researchers continuously measured children’s heart rates during ten-minute periods of play.

Energy expenditure was determined at rest, while playing “traditional videogames” – those not requiring much movement, in other words – and while playing physical titles.

“Active gameplay” can help raise kids body energy expenditure by up to 42 per cent above the amount expended while playing traditional videogames, the Notts boffins discovered.

This led the team to calculate that, if your youngster played Wii Sports for 60 minutes every day of the year then they could burn off up to 3.4kg (7.5lbs) of body fat over that 12-month period. ®