Improving Active Gaming's Energy Expenditure in Healthy Adults Using Structured Playing Instructions for the Nintendo...

Naugle, KE, Carey, C, Ohlman, T, Godza, M, Mikesky, A, and Naugle, KM. Improving active gaming's energy expenditure in healthy adults using structured playing instructions for the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 549-558, 2019-Professionals work constantly to increase energy expenditure and improve cardiovascular outcomes. A newer form of physical activity used to improve cardiovascular outcomes and increase energy expenditure while also providing entertainment is active gaming. The purpose was to determine energy expenditure and enjoyment levels during participation in different games played with a directed set of instructions designed to enhance movement. Twenty-one adults completed 6 sessions (1 familiarization and 5 experimental) on separate days. During 4 of the experimental sessions, participants played 1 of 4 active games for two 15-minute periods. Two active games were from Xbox Kinect and 2 were from Nintendo Wii. During the first period, participants played at a self-selected level of activity. During the second period, participants were given specific instructions for play during both active and down times within games. Participants wore a portable gas analyzer to measure energy expenditure. Resting energy expenditure was measured during session 6. Outcome measures were analyzed with 4 Game × 2 Period repeated-measures analyses of variance. Energy expenditure, measured in metabolic equivalents (METS), was greatest while playing Kinect Fighter Within. METS, enjoyment levels, and percentage of time spent in whole-body activity were greater during the period with specific instructions compared to the self-selected levels of activity, regardless of active game. When played at a self-selected level of activity, energy expenditure during the active games was similar to that of light physical activity. However, energy expenditure improved during the second period of game play showing that specific instructions created energy expenditure of moderate intensity.