School-Based Interventions for Promoting Physical Activity Using Games and Gamification: A Systematic Review Protocol

Area of Science:

• Educational research
• Health research
• Physical activity promotion

Background:

• Games and gamification are increasingly used to improve health indicators in educational settings.
• There is limited information on using games and gamification to promote physical activity (PA) in schools.
• Understanding these strategies is crucial for enhancing youth health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a systematic review protocol for school-based interventions using games and gamification.
• To promote physical activity (PA) in pre-schoolers, children, and adolescents.
• To synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of game-based strategies in schools.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019123521).
• Searches conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, Cochrane Library, ERIC, and PsycINFO.
• Adherence to PRISMA-P and PICOS guidelines for search strategy and data extraction, including quantitative (effect sizes) and qualitative (EPHPP tool) assessments.

Main Results:

• This section is not applicable as the output is a protocol for a systematic review, not the review itself.
• The protocol aims to establish a framework for future systematic reviews.
• It will provide a quantitative and qualitative assessment of interventions.

Conclusions:

• This protocol will guide future systematic reviews on games and gamification for PA in schools.
• It aims to clarify terminology related to these strategies in educational contexts.
• The findings will contribute to understanding the impact of game-based approaches on youth physical activity.