EXERGAMES IN ADOLESCENTS: ASSOCIATED FACTORS AND POSSIBLE REDUCTION IN SEDENTARY TIME.

Iazana Garcia Custódio,Edina Maria De Camargo,Cristiano Copetti Rodriguez,Rodrigo Siqueira Reis,Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino

doi:10.1590/1984-0462/;2019;37;4;00019

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjective: To describe the use of exergames, associated factors and to quantify the time attributed to the use of exergames within the time spent on video games in a sample of adolescents from Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated frequency and weekly volume of physical activities using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. Weekly frequency and daily time of use of exergames and videogames were self-reported. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare the time spent playing exergames, and Poisson regression was used to test the associations (p<0.05).Results: 495 adolescents were interviewed (51.3% girls), predominantly aged between 12 and 13 years (41.3%), under/normal weight (60.4%), medium socioeconomic status (39.8 %) and from public schools (69.3%). Most of the participants did not have video games in their bedroom (74.3%) and did not reach recommended levels of physical activity (55.5%). One in five adolescents used exergames (16.4%). Age (RP: 0.54; 95%CI 0.30-0.97, p=0.039) and having a console in the bedroom (RP: 1.89; 95%CI 1.27- 2.81, p=0.002) were associated with exergame use. Male sex (X_: 195.0; AIQ: 486.3; p=0.024) practice of leisure time physical activity (X_: 160.0; AIQ: 350.0; p=0.048) were associated with weekly volume of exergame use.Conclusions: Overall, less than two out of ten adolescents used exergames, and the use was higher among young adolescents and those who had a console in their bedrooms. Volume of use was higher among boys and those performing more than five hours of leisure time physical activity per week. In addition, a considerable part of the time devoted to the use of video games, was in fact, destined to the use of exergames.

Highlights

Several factors have contributed to the reduction of physical exercise among young people
Data presented by the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) indicate that more than half of ninth graders spend three hours or more on an average weekday on sedentary activities such as watching television, using a computer, playing video games or doing other activities while sitting down.[5]
The data used in this study is part of the International Physical Activity and Environment Network (IPEN) project, a multicenter study conducted in 19 countries

Summary

Introduction

Several factors have contributed to the reduction of physical exercise among young people Among these factors are the growing process of urbanization, the reduction of public spaces for physical activity, the increase in violence, the technological dependence (when the individual cannot control their own use of the internet / games / cell phones) and the various facilities gained from modernization.[1,2] In view of these changes, there is a transition from predominantly outdoor physical activities to those performed indoors, which appear to be safer, but may lead to a more sedentary lifestyle.[3,4] Data presented by the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) indicate that more than half of ninth graders spend three hours or more on an average weekday on sedentary activities such as watching television, using a computer, playing video games or doing other activities while sitting down.[5]. While traditional video games are classified as sedentary activity, 6-8 active or exergames stimulate movement through motion sensors.9.10 This feature has made exergames one of the alternatives for increasing physical activity levels among young people, 11 in addition to their potential for developing cognitive, motor and spatial orientation skills.[12,13,14]

Methods

Results

Conclusion