The effect of virtual reality on a home-based cardiac rehabilitation program on body composition, lipid profile and eating patterns: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Subjects with cardiovascular diseases are referred to cardiac rehabilitation, with a possibility of using virtual reality environments. The study aimed to analyze the effect of a home-based specific exercise program, maintenance phase, with a six months period, performed in a virtual reality (Kinect) or conventional (booklet) environment, on the body composition, eating patter ns and lipid profile of subjects with coronary artery disease. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with subjects from a hospital in Porto, Portugal. Subjects were randomly assigned to either intervention group 1 (n = 11), whose program encompassed the use of Kinect; or intervention group 2, a booklet (n = 11) or a control group, only receiving education concerning cardiovascular risk factors (n = 11) during 6 months. Beyond the baseline, at 3 and 6 months the body composition was assessed with a bioimpedance scale and a tape-measure, eating patterns with the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and three months later, the lipid profile with laboratory tests. Descriptive and inferential statistical measures were used with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The intervention group 1 revealed significant improvements in the waist-to-hip ratio after 6 months (p = 0.033) and, between the baseline and third month, when compared with the control group (p = 0.041). The intervention group 1 also decreased their ingestion of total fat (p = 0.032) after six months and increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.017) 3 months after the program's conclusion. Conclusions: The virtual reality format had a positive influence on body composition, specifically on the waist-to-hip ratio, in the first three months.

Virtual reality exercise on a home-based phase III cardiac rehabilitation program, effect on executive function, quality of life and depression, anxiety and stress: a randomized controlled trial

“…This study is part of a global project and, in the same, presented a similar methodology to that previously published in Vieira et al [21,22], duly referenced throughout the present study.…”

“…This study is a prospective randomized controlled trial single site, according to Vieira et al [22], using a three arm, parallel group over a 23-month period.…”

“…According to Vieira et al [21,22], the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the [21,22], all procedures were conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki and, according to Vieira et al [22], the study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02753829).…”

“…According to Vieira et al [21,22], the sample was obtained from the Centro Hospitalar do Porto. According to Vieira et al [21,22], the target population was composed of subjects who had just completed the phase II of CR at the Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Unit. The subjects were, by the research coordinator at the end of the phase II, in-person and, according to Vieira et al [22], individually invited to participate in this study.…”

“…According to Vieira et al [21,22], the target population was composed of subjects who had just completed the phase II of CR at the Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Unit. The subjects were, by the research coordinator at the end of the phase II, in-person and, according to Vieira et al [22], individually invited to participate in this study. According to Vieira et al [22], the enrolment and assignment were conducted by the research coordinator, with the support of the responsible of the Unit, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Table 1) according to Vieira et al [21,22].…”