Pokemon Go has become a worldwide phenomenon and people playing the game are beginning to reap the health benefits.  Already there are reports of weight loss and previously sedentary folks becoming more active.  It’s even leading some health professionals to advocate for the creation of more of these augmented reality games to make us healthier.

Despite receiving some considerable criticism associated with the dangers the game can present as people go out hunting Pokemon, one thing is for certain.  The augmented reality game created by Niantic has gotten people off the couch and out walking, hunting the monsters.

A recent report published in Games for Health, a peer-reviewed publication confirms that “Pokemon Go” increases activity in its players.

In the article, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College and editor-in-chief Tom Baranowski reports that many lessons can be learned from the game.  He encourages other researchers to conduct well-designed studies into the success of the game in the hopes that more augmented reality games that increase physical activity can be created.

Baranowski went on the state that the game encouraged otherwise sedentary individuals to get up and get moving.

According to Matt Hoffman, an assistant professor at the College of Nursing at Texas A&M Health Center, the game provides many benefits:

• The game increases physical activity by offering rewards to the players
• The game could improve cognitive development
• The game has the potential to reduce depression by encouraging socialization
• The game may help those with autism, encouraging socialization and breaking down rigid routines

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