Having taken the US by storm since its launch last week, and with UK users also getting in on the act, Pokémon Go is being held up as an unlikely antidote to physical inactivity.

The smartphone game, which uses augmented reality to send players out onto the streets to capture virtual Pokémon, was only released last week but has already racked up millions of downloads. The game took just four days to become more popular than Tinder and is on course to outstrip Twitter in terms of active daily users in the next couple of hours.

However, one of the more unlikely outcomes of the wildly successful launch has been the impact on gamers’ health. Users have been swapping their sofas for their local parks as they head out in search of Pokémon to catch, with many taking to social media to marvel at their new-found levels of activity.

One Twitter user named Matthew Ziff wrote: “#PokemonGo released & suddenly a whole generation is 10 again & starting their #pokemon adventure. Clearly a ploy to get people to #exercise”

Another added: “like im serious this could be good for little kids who struggle with weight issues

because it makes you exercise WITH POKEMON”

Several commenters on social media have noted how playing the game saw them walking 5-10 miles per day, with one declaring it’s “the most exercise I’ve had in years.”

Pokémon Go rewards players for their efforts in the physical world, with medals and other incentives for players who hit milestones such as 10km covered in one day. The feature aligns with the growing trend towards gamification across the fitness sector, particularly through apps such as Zombies, Run!.

Meanwhile, operators have been working to harness the power of popular IPs to encourage children to become more active. There has been a flurry of childhood activity initiatives in recent years, with Places for People Leisure announcing a tie-up with Peppa Pig and Fit For Sport joining forces with the Power Rangers brand to extoll the virtues of regular exercise and a healthy diet. Meanwhile, operator Freedom Leisure is training its staff through Active IQ’s Adapting Fitness Instruction for Adolescents course to ensure better fitness provisions for teenagers.