Active Videogaming Compared to Unstructured, Outdoor Play in Young Children: Percent Time in Moderate- to Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity and Estimated Energy Expenditure.

Abstract

The majority of children do not achieve recommended amounts of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). Active videogames (AVGs) may be a source of MVPA for young children. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare, in children 5-8 years of age, percentage of time engaged in MVPA, assessed via accelerometry and direct observation (DO), and estimated energy expenditure (EE), assessed via accelerometry, while playing AVG and unstructured, outdoor play (OP). Sixteen normal-weight young children (6.4±0.8 years old, 62.5 percent male, 81.3 percent white, standardized body mass index=-0.18±0.66) completed two 15-minute sessions of AVG and OP. For AVG, participants played "River Rush" (Xbox(®) 360 Kinect(®); Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA), and OP was conducted in an outdoor playground. Three Actical (Philips Respironics Co. Inc., Bend, OR) accelerometers (hip and left and right wrists) measured percentage MVPA and estimated EE. DO was conducted using the Children's Activity Rating Scale, from which percentage MVPA was coded. Repeated-measures analysis of variance controlling for condition differences in humidity and condition order found greater percentage MVPA in AVG condition with the accelerometer located on the hip (AVG=74.6±31.1 percent versus OP=67.5±31.1 percent; P<0.05, d=0.23) and with DO (AVG=23.8±12.4 percent versus OP=13.2±13.0 percent; P<0.05, d=0.83). These findings suggest that AVGs may be a source of MVPA for young children.