Building a Better Mousetrap (Exergame) to Increase Youth Physical Activity

Baranowski, Tom; Maddison, Ralph; Maloney, Ann E.; Medina, Ernie; Simons, Monique

doi:10.1089/g4h.2014.0018

Cited by 47 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Measurements of energy expenditure from exergaming range from 3 to 7 metabolic equivalents (or 4-6.7 kilocalories expended per minute), depending on the game, level, and intensity of play. 4 In addition to providing an alternative form of physical activity, exergames have been shown to improve children's interest in physical activity and motor skill competence more than traditional physical education classes. 4 As with any kind of physical activity, it is generally agreed that exercising in groups is more enjoyable than exercising alone.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 In addition to providing an alternative form of physical activity, exergames have been shown to improve children's interest in physical activity and motor skill competence more than traditional physical education classes. 4 As with any kind of physical activity, it is generally agreed that exercising in groups is more enjoyable than exercising alone. 5 This conjecture has been supported by research showing that children who play exergames socially report greater increases in perceived social support, self-esteem, motivation, and self-efficacy than do children who play individually.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5,6 Social or group videogame play has been found to encourage continued use of exergames, maximize physical activity, and increase energy expenditure. [4][5][6][7] For example, children in a 12-week exergaming intervention were physically active for longer durations when they played in a multiplayer group (a total of 901 minutes) than when they played at home alone (356 minutes). 7 What is it about the social exergaming environment that facilitates prolonged physical activity?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Better Together: Outcomes of Cooperation Versus Competition in Social Exergaming

Marker

Staiano

2015

Games for Health Journal

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Children and adolescents most often play active videogames, or exergames, in a social environment. Social play may enhance the potential benefits of an exergaming experience, much like group exercise and team sports are observed to improve physical activity-related outcomes above those of solitary exercise. Two ubiquitous elements of exergames are cooperation and competition. Previous literature suggests that cooperative and competitive aspects of exergames may affect physiological and psychosocial changes. Competitive play has been found to increase energy expenditure and aggression in short bouts of exergaming. Cooperative exergaming has been found to increase motivation, promote continued play, enhance self-efficacy, and increase pro-social behaviors. In one study, a cooperative exergaming condition also resulted in significant weight loss for overweight and obese adolescents. Individual player differences such as individual preferences, competitiveness, weight status, age, gender, and ethnicity may moderate effects. Although the current volume of literature on competition and cooperation in exergaming is small, social exergames hold promise as an engaging alternative to traditional physical activity interventions and may promote a broad range of positive outcomes for children and adolescents. Principles of cooperation and competition are applicable for developers of healthpromoting games. Future research is needed to further understand the mechanisms of how competition and cooperation in social exergaming impact physiological and psychosocial outcomes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Better Together: Outcomes of Cooperation Versus Competition in Social Exergaming

Marker

Staiano

2015

Games for Health Journal

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“…As stated by Baranowski, et al [24], duration of physical activity may be increased by integrating fun enhancing procedures. Increasing difficulties with player skills, feedback on performance and awarding achievement badges increases user satisfaction which in turn results in increased physical activity.…”

Section: Gamification In Smartfitmentioning

confidence: 96%

SmartFit: A Step Count Based Mobile Application for Engagement in Physical Activities

Sarwar¹,

Mukhtar²,

Maqbool³

et al. 2015

ijacsa

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Abstract-Research has found that relatively few people engage in regular exercise or other physical activities. Despite the availability of numerous mobile applications and specialized devices for self-tracking, people mostly lack the motivation for performing physical activities. In this article we present SmartFit, a mobile application that uses step count for promoting the physical activities in adults. This article points out that while considering walk, activity duration is not sufficient for determining users activeness state.Step count is another factor that should be taken into account. For this we propose an approach for converting the steps into duration for which activity has been performed. This duration is then used in Smartfit for categorizing user into different activeness levels. Gamification techniques have been incorporated in SmartFit as they are found to serve the purpose of motivating and encouraging the user. Gamification is used for awarding/deducting points to user in order to keep them engaged for longer period. Furthermore feedback is also provided to users depending upon their goal and achieved progress. The objective is to facilitate and motivate the user and then keep them engaged in carrying out the recommended level of physical activities.

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“…16 Because Exergames require bodily movement, they could be a fun and motivational method for encouraging youth to be more physically active. However, results of their effectiveness have been mixed, [16][17][18] demonstrating a need to investigate ways in which to design Exergames that encourage longer and more intense gameplay and, therefore, increased PA.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a Teen-Focused Exergame

Thompson

Cantu

Rajendran

et al. 2016

Games for Health Journal

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Introduction: Exergames require body movement to play and may be an effective method for enhancing teen physical activity (PA). However, results have been mixed. Innovative methods are needed to develop Exergames that increase and maintain PA. Self-representational avatars, or avatars created from a digital image of an individual, may increase PA (e.g., intensity, duration) during Exergame play. This article addresses this novel idea by describing the development of an Exergame played with a self-representational avatar. Materials and Methods: Twelve-to 14-year-olds, stratified by gender, body mass index, and PA, were invited to participate in two rounds of data collection. Each round consisted of an online survey, followed by a telephone interview to ensure comprehension of survey responses. After the first round, an Exergame prototype and the system for creating the self-representational avatar were created. A second round of data was collected to obtain information with which to create a fully functional Exergame and the avatar creation system. Results: Forty-eight teens were recruited. The sample was multi-ethnic (41.7% White, 37.5% Black, 18.8% Hispanic, 2.1% Mixed/Other). Complete data were obtained on 48 teens in the first round of data collection and on 43 teens in the second round. Teens provided important information regarding preferences and expectations. Gender similarities and differences were observed. Conclusion: This research contributes to the body of knowledge regarding how to design an appealing Exergame for teens navigated by a self-representational avatar.

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Building a Better Mousetrap (Exergame) to Increase Youth Physical Activity

Cited by 47 publications

References 63 publications

Better Together: Outcomes of Cooperation Versus Competition in Social Exergaming

Better Together: Outcomes of Cooperation Versus Competition in Social Exergaming

SmartFit: A Step Count Based Mobile Application for Engagement in Physical Activities

Development of a Teen-Focused Exergame

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