Contribution of Active Videogame Play to Physical Activity Among College Students

Fewer than half of college students meet physical activity (PA) recommendations. Active videogames (AVGs) may increase PA. The contribution that AVGs make to total PA is unknown. This study aimed to examine the contribution of AVG play to total PA and to compare sedentary, light, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) on game-days and non-game-days.

For 1 week, the PA of 42 students (mean age, 20.4±1.3 years) was assessed by accelerometry. During this week an AVG was played one to three times, for 30 minutes each. The percentage contribution of AVG play to MVPA was calculated. To compare PA on game-days versus non-game-days, t tests were used.

Students performed an average of 47.2±32.0 minutes of MVPA/day, during the monitored weekdays. MVPA during AVG play contributed 4.8±8.1 percent to total MVPA on game-days. The percentage of time spent in moderate PA was significantly higher on game-days (4.9 percent) than on non-game-days (3.3 percent).

This is the first study to examine the contribution of AVG play to daily PA. These data support further investigation of AVGs as a means of increasing health-enhancing PA and reducing sedentary behavior among college students.