Are Active Video Games Effective at Eliciting Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity in Children, and Do They Enjoy...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Exercise Science
• Game Design and Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Health and Sedentary Behavior

Background:

• Children's sedentary behavior remains high despite physical activity (PA) guidelines, with significant time spent on video games.
• Some video games incorporate physically active components, offering a potential avenue for increasing children's PA.
• Research is needed to evaluate the PA intensity and engagement of these active video games (AVGs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if active video games (AVGs) can elicit at least moderate physical activity (PA) in children.
• To identify key game design elements that promote active gameplay.
• To assess children's enjoyment and engagement with AVGs.

Main Methods:

• Twenty children (8-16 years) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing to establish heart rate (HR) thresholds for moderate and vigorous PA.
• Participants played two distinct AVGs, with gameplay time above PA HR thresholds recorded.
• Gameplay elements influencing active play were identified, alongside questionnaire data on PA, game engagement, and experience.

Main Results:

• The AVGs Dance Central Spotlight and Kung-Fu for Kinect achieved at least moderate PA for 54.3% and 87.8% of gameplay time, respectively.
• Key design elements for effective AVGs included full-body movements, player autonomy, and self-efficacy.
• While enjoyable, children preferred their favorite non-AVG games over the tested AVGs.

Conclusions:

• Active video games (AVGs) can effectively provide moderate physical activity (PA) and are perceived as enjoyable by children.
• The majority of popular video games lack active components, contributing to children's sedentary lifestyles.
• Policy interventions, including a PA rating system for video games, are recommended to encourage active gaming.