Related Experiment Videos
Examining Young Children's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors in an Exergaming Program Using Accelerometry
Minghui Quan1, Zachary Pope2, Zan Gao3,4
1School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. quanminghui@163.com.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|September 28, 2018
Summary
Exergaming promotes physical activity (PA) in children, with no observed sex differences in moderate-to-vigorous PA, light PA, or sedentary behavior during gameplay. This suggests exergaming is beneficial for PA promotion in both boys and girls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Exercise Science
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Exergaming shows promise for increasing physical activity (PA) in children.
- Existing research on sex differences in PA and sedentary behaviors during exergaming is inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify children's PA and sedentary behaviors during exergaming using accelerometry.
- To examine potential sex differences in these behaviors during gameplay.
Main Methods:
- 121 first- and second-grade children participated.
- ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers measured PA and sedentary behavior during exergaming sessions.
- One-way ANOVA analyzed differences in time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), and sedentary behavior by sex.
Main Results:
- Children spent 19.9% of exergaming time in MVPA, 32.9% in LPA, and 47.2% in sedentary behavior.
- No significant sex differences were found in PA or sedentary behavior levels during exergaming.
- Boys and girls exhibited similar PA engagement during gameplay.
Conclusions:
- Exergaming appears to be an effective tool for promoting PA in both boys and girls.
- The inherent features of exergaming may contribute to equitable PA promotion across sexes.
- Further research can explore specific exergaming elements that appeal to diverse populations.