Video games are becoming an increasingly popular tool to improve health and manage chronic health conditions, Dow Jones reports.
Health-related electronic games represent 16% of the total video gaming industry, amounting to a $6.6 billion worldwide market this year, according to a report from iConecto, the sponsor of Gaming4Health.com, a company that designs and distributes custom electronic games for insurers and employers.
The majority of the health-related video game market comes from "exergames" and "brain fitness." Exergames, such as Nintendo's Wii Sports and Wii Fit systems, combine digital interactive technology with players' physical motion. Brain fitness focuses on cognitive training to improve or maintain mental function.
Other health-related electronic games target healthy eating and chronic disease management, according to the report (Gerencher, Dow Jones, 12/12).