Exergaming as a Strategic Tool in the Fight against Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Improper use of electronic media is considered a major contributing factor to childhood obesity. However, exergames, a new generation of active games, have made it possible to combine electronic entertainment with physical exercise. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the use of exergaming as a strategic tool in the fight against childhood obesity. Information was retrieved from the databases SciELO, LILACS, Pubmed, Ebsco, and Science Direct, using the search words “egames,” “exergames,” “exergaming,” “new generation of video games,” “active video games,” “energy expenditure,” “body composition,” and “physical activity” in English and Portuguese, covering the period January 2008 to April 2012. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Exergaming was found to increase physical activity levels, energy expenditure, maximal oxygen uptake, heart rate, and percentage of physical activity engaged in and to reduce waist circumference and sedentary screen time. Thus, exergaming may be considered a highly relevant strategic tool for the adoption of an active and healthy lifestyle and may be useful in the fight against childhood obesity.

“Alien Health”: A Nutrition Instruction Exergame Using the Kinect Sensor

“…increase physical activity levels, energy expenditure, maximal oxygen uptake, heart rate, and.reduce waist circumference and sedentary screen time.'' 2 Meshing an effective exergame with the instruction of nutritional knowledge has not been done for middle schoolers to our knowledge, and so the ''Alien Health'' game is filling a new niche. In addition, adding a skeletal tracking system like the Microsoft Kinect to give players immediate performance feedback and reinforce learning is an innovative add-on, and two goals were to test the prototype and usability with middle-school children.…”

I CINAPSE – I International Conference of Physical Activity and Health Promotion at School

“…According to Lamboglia et al, (2013) the exergames are a tool that can contribute to a more active life style, with positive effects in the human behaviour related to individual`s health. In the study of Maddison et al (2011), it was observed that the energetic waste of an individual that practices exergames during a short period of time (5 min) was comparable with the level of intensity slight to moderate for traditional physical activities such as walking, jumping and trotting.…”

“…In this perspective, the use of digital games is being presented by the researchers as an allied in the fight against NCDs once the gamification is gradually becoming a characteristic of the human behaviour in this century. Among the big variety of digital games, the current evidences have named the Exergames as a potential tool to contribute in an effective way in the increase of the level of physical activity as well as in reducing body mass above the health level, mainly in children and young people (Gao, Zhang, & Stodden, 2013;Lamboglia et al, 2013;Wu, Wu, & Chu, 2015). Facing such evidences, the use of digital games as a public health strategy is being observed in some developed country (Mccallum, 2012).…”

Addressing Childhood Obesity

“…The primary difference noted between the school year and summertime is in the level of physical activity 70 . One intervention that has shown success in increasing physical activity in this age group, as well as adolescents, is exergaming, or use of electronic games designed to promote physical exercise 71 . While the video game experience makes activity more entertaining for children, use of exergames in several studies was found to increase energy expenditure and time spent on physical activity and to reduce waist circumference 71 .…”

“…One intervention that has shown success in increasing physical activity in this age group, as well as adolescents, is exergaming, or use of electronic games designed to promote physical exercise 71 . While the video game experience makes activity more entertaining for children, use of exergames in several studies was found to increase energy expenditure and time spent on physical activity and to reduce waist circumference 71 . These findings suggest that targeting known risk factors during the summer months may be especially important for obesity prevention at this age.…”