Abstract
Children and adolescents are not meeting the required federal physical activity (PA) guidelines established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is critical that a regular pattern of PA is established in their youth to ensure ongoing PA into adulthood. However, many programs implemented during adolescence have shown limited effects, stressing the need for more innovative approaches to generate more interest and maintenance of PA behavior in this age group. Active video games (AVGs) or exergaming may prove to be an innovate process to improve PA in children and adolescents. A literature review was conducted to explore if active video games or exergaming could be an effective intervention to improve physical activity in adolescents. Active video games, also called “exergames”, are a category of video games that require movement or physical exertion to play the game. The methodology consisted of searching Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, ERIC, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria involved only youth aged 12 to 19 years, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and studies within the last 12 years. The following search terms were used: exergaming or active video games; physical activity or exercise; adolescents or youth; RCT or randomized clinical trial. The outcome indicates that exergaming or active video games can be an effective tool to improve PA in adolescents that will be more acceptable and sustainable than many conventional approaches.
Highlights
Being physically inactive or failure to meet the daily physical activity (PA) recommendations is considered to be one of the leading risk factors for many chronic diseases [1]
Age was less than or more than years of age; if they were not a randomized excluded if the participants’ age was less than 12 or more than 19 years of age; if they were not a trial; or if the primary was not directed at changes improvement controlled trial;randomized or if thecontrolled primary outcome was outcome not directed at changes ororimprovement in physical in physical activity levels
The studies in this review show that Active video games (AVGs) are feasible, engaging, and fun
Summary
Being physically inactive or failure to meet the daily physical activity (PA) recommendations is considered to be one of the leading risk factors for many chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases) [1]. Children of all ages are failing to meet the required level of physical activity. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans “recommend that children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily” [6]. The guidelines outline that most of the 60-minute activity “should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity on at least 3 days a week; muscle-strengthening should be a key part of these activities, as well bone-strengthening activities on at least 3 days a week” [6]. Self-reported data of high school students in the United States indicate that the prevalence of adolescents meeting
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