Gaming for better health? Comparison of cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses of exergaming with moderate endurance exercise

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Exergames are interactive video games that require the player to move their body to progress through the game. Even though numerous studies have determined a higher exercise intensity in exergames compared to sedentary videogames, the literature remains equivocal as to whether exergames elicit intensity levels that result in relevant physiological responses. The aim of the present study was to assess whether an exergaming session (ES) in an innovative exergame represents a physiological relevant exercise stimulus capable of producing favorable hemodynamic responses similar to moderate endurance exercise (MEE). Therefore, cardiovascular responses during and after an ES and an ET were assessed and compared. Methods Twenty-seven healthy young adults aged 25±4 years (48% female; BMI 23.0±2.1 kg/m2) participated in the study. The Maximum heart rate (HRmax) and the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) were determined during a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill. Furthermore, participants completed both a typical MEE (35 minutes, 65% of HRmax) on a treadmill and an ES (28 minutes). Heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption were recorded during both training sessions. Both before and during the 45 minutes after the training sessions, the peripheral and central blood pressure (BP) were assessed. Results HR and oxygen consumption were significantly higher during ES than during MEE (p<0.001). Throughout the ES, the participants achieved a mean HR of 86±4 % of HRmax. Mean oxygen consumption reached 66±5 % of VO2max. 45 Minutes after the ES, there was a significant decrease in peripheral systolic (-6.2±2.9 mmHg; p<0.001) and diastolic (-4.8±5.7 mmHg; p<0.001), as well as in central systolic (-4.9±5.4 mmHg; p<0.001) and diastolic (-4.8±5.2 mmHg; p<0.001) BP compared to baseline. After MEE, only the peripheral diastolic (-2.3±3.4 mmHg; p=0.003), and central diastolic (-2.2±3.8 mmHg; p=0.006) pressure were significantly lower than the resting values before the exercise. The interaction effects showed significant differences in peripheral and central systolic BP as well as in peripheral diastolic BP (p=0.05). Conclusion The ES represents a vigorous exercise stimulus that triggers relevant peripheral and central BP reactions that are more pronounced than after an MEE. Exergaming may therefore be a promising tool for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.