Effects of the augmented reality game Pokémon GO on fitness and fatness in secondary school students

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of 8 weeks of Pokémon GO on physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF], Speed/Agility [S/A], and muscular strength [MS]) and fatness (body mass index [BMI], percentage of body fat [%BF], and waist-hip index), as well as possible differences between weekly physical activity (PA) levels, in Spanish adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age. Design, setting and method: Comparative design, with a control group ( n = 86) that did not participate in Pokémon GO, and an intervention group ( n = 78) which did so over an 8-week period. Age, sex, number of home computers, and maternal educational level were controlled for as possible confounding variables. Results: Results show that players walked a total of 52 km in 8 weeks. Moreover, they played the game for a mean of 40 min/day. Pokémon GO players showed improvements in CRF and BMI ( p < .05). Inactive young people showed a 22.2% increase in CRF and an 11.3% decrease in their %BF compared to non-players. Despite these results, less than half of the participants considered that Pokémon GO had improved their overall fitness and felt more encouraged to engage in PA. Conclusion: Pokémon GO increased PA and CRF levels and decreased BMI and %BF after 8 weeks of practice independently of age, sex, number of computers at home, and maternal education. The Pokémon GO app could be used in school and family contexts to increase the daily amount of MVPA, improve CRF, and to take advantage of the effects of loss of body fat.

Influence of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity and Psychosocial Well-Being in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review

“…Table 1 summarizes the essential characteristics of the 10 studies included in the review. All studies were published within the last 5 years, with 4 studies in 2018 [ 27 , 29 , 30 , 34 ], 3 in 2019 [ 28 , 32 , 33 ], and 3 in 2022 [ 25 , 26 , 31 ]. The studies were conducted in various countries and regions, including Sweden [ 30 ], Hong Kong [ 29 ], the United States [ 25 , 27 ], Spain [ 26 , 34 ], Taiwan [ 32 , 33 ], Peru [ 28 ], and Indonesia [ 31 ].…”

“…All studies were published within the last 5 years, with 4 studies in 2018 [ 27 , 29 , 30 , 34 ], 3 in 2019 [ 28 , 32 , 33 ], and 3 in 2022 [ 25 , 26 , 31 ]. The studies were conducted in various countries and regions, including Sweden [ 30 ], Hong Kong [ 29 ], the United States [ 25 , 27 ], Spain [ 26 , 34 ], Taiwan [ 32 , 33 ], Peru [ 28 ], and Indonesia [ 31 ]. Different study designs were used, including qualitative (interview and focus group) [ 30 , 31 ], cross-sectional [ 27 - 29 , 33 ], prospective cohort [ 25 ], and pre-post studies [ 26 , 31 , 32 , 34 ].…”

“…The studies were conducted in various countries and regions, including Sweden [ 30 ], Hong Kong [ 29 ], the United States [ 25 , 27 ], Spain [ 26 , 34 ], Taiwan [ 32 , 33 ], Peru [ 28 ], and Indonesia [ 31 ]. Different study designs were used, including qualitative (interview and focus group) [ 30 , 31 ], cross-sectional [ 27 - 29 , 33 ], prospective cohort [ 25 ], and pre-post studies [ 26 , 31 , 32 , 34 ]. The intervention duration ranged from 6 to 10 weeks.…”

“…Some studies also considered the players’ experience, differentiating between current players and those who played in the past [ 25 , 27 , 31 ]. The level of adherence and the amount of PA were frequently measured using accumulated points, the number of Pokémon captured, distance traveled in kilometers, or daily game time in minutes [ 26 , 28 , 32 , 34 ]. Furthermore, motivation for playing was assessed, as well as categorizing use into levels such as no use, playing a little (less than 2 hours per day), and playing a lot (over 2 hours per day) [ 28 , 33 ].…”

Alexa, let's train now! — A systematic review and classification approach to digital and home-based physical training interventions aiming to support healthy cognitive aging

“… 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 Outcome(s): If there were no cognitive outcomes assessed, studies were excluded. 50 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 , 158 , 159 , 160 , 161 , 162 , 163 , 164 , 165 , 166 , 167 , 168 , 169 , 170 Study design: We excluded studies if they were not original articles but posters, 171 , 172 , 173 study protocols, 174 , 175 …”