Exergames, Energy Expenditure, and Obesity

Abstract

Exergames are digital games that require the player to engage in physical activity including upper or lower body movement. Traditionally played on a video game console via peripherals and/or infrared cameras, exergames are now being played on smartphones and attached to exercise equipment like stationary cycling. Numerous studies have demonstrated that playing exergames expends more energy than when players are at rest or when they are playing a traditional sedentary video game, though exergaming is less likely to reach intensity levels of authentic sports or other activities outside of game play like running. Exergaming typically involves light‐to‐moderate intensity physical activity though can reach levels of vigorous intensity physical activity. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that exergaming can help to attenuate weight gain or reduce body mass index among children and adolescents when used as a tool within a larger physical activity or weight management program. Additional support appears to be necessary to supplement exergame play to achieve longer‐term outcomes like weight management; these approaches may include adult coaching and peer or familial support/co‐play. In summary, exergaming is demonstrated as a tool to promote energy expenditure and to modestly reduce obesity, but the game itself does not appear to be sufficient to reduce obesity without complementary approaches.

Physical and motivational effects of Exergames in healthy adults—Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Exergames or Active Video Games (AVG) are digital games, that require the player to engage in physical activity including upper or lower body movement to control the game [ 1 ]. Since Exergames have the potential to be used as motivating physical training tools, they have gained increasing attention in the last decades.…”

Rift Racers - Effect of Balancing and Competition on Exertion, Enjoyment, and Motivation in an Immersive Exergame

“…Over the past decade an increasing number of exergames (exercise video games) have been developed as they can offer different intensity exercise, and significantly increased heart rate and energy expenditure of users in the same way as traditional exercise [16], [22]. Increasing the intrinsic motivational factors of exercise can be seen as one of the primary roles of exergames and competition has been shown to be a compelling drive for exercising [8].…”