Differences Among Exergaming Platforms and Traditional Physical Activity on MET’s and Estimated Energy Expenditure

Abstract

Unfavorable prevalence of obesity increases the need for effective modes of energy expenditure in adults. Limited research has explored the differences among a variety of active video-gaming platforms and traditional modes of physical activity (PA) on energy expenditure. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences among three active video-game platforms (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Fit) and traditional modes of PA on average metabolic equivalents (METs) and estimated Energy Expenditure (EER) in adults. METHODS: Data were collected on a total of 421 adults recruited from the Mountain West region of the US. Participants engaged in different modes of PA for 30 minutes. Participants engaged in PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Fit video-gaming activities, or traditional (non-video game) modes of PA. Each participant’s PA data were collected using the Sense Wear armband accelerometer that was worn on the upper left arm. Average MET’s and EER (in kcals/min) were collected during each PA mode. A one-way MANOVA was employed to test the differences among PA modes on the average MET and EER dependent variables. Follow-up ANOVA tests with alpha level correction and discriminant function analysis were performed after the statistically significant multivariate main effect. RESULTS: A significant multivariate main effect was yielded for PA mode (Pillai’s Trace = 0.17, F(6, 834) = 13.14, P < .001). Follow-up ANOVA tests yielded separate significant main effects on METs (F(3, 417) = 25.60, P < .01) and EER (F(3, 417) =25.60, P <.01). Bonferroni post hoc tests revealed that Traditional PA had a 0.60 to 1.50 average greater MET score compared to all other active video-gaming modes (P < .001) and a 1.42 kcal/min to 2.31 kcal/min greater EER compared to the active video-gaming modes. DFA confirmed these results with a function explaining 17.1% of shared variance (χ2 (6) = 78.92, P < .001 RC = 0.41) and Group Centroids of −4.77 for PlayStation3, 0.22 for Xbox 360, −5.40 for the Wii, and 6.70 for Traditional PA. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that Traditional modes of PA had higher average METs and EER after 30 minutes of activity compared to active video gaming in adults and therefore may have greater utility for achieving higher caloric deficits.