NCT02940431

Active Games: Increasing the Attractiveness of Active Video Game Play for Youth

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 49 (actual)
• Sponsor: USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 8 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to look at the effects of active video game play on youth physical activity.

Detailed description

Child obesity is increasing worldwide and has major implications for health, both during youth and later in life. Physical activity declines sharply during adolescence, making ages 8-12 a critical period to encourage healthy exercise habits. Increased childhood weight has been linked to sedentary leisure time activities, such as video games. "Active video games" (AVGs) are now being studied as a method to increase children's interest and participation in physical activity. Although research indicates that AVG play may lead to energy expenditure comparable to light/ moderate physical activity, children prefer sedentary video games to AVGs and often find AVGs boring. Children do not play AVGs as often or with the same intensity as traditional games/sports and lose interest in them; efforts must be made to increase the appeal of AVGs so they are competitive with sedentary video games. This study will examine whether children's motivation to engage in AVG play may be increased with greater autonomy, as well as whether increasing children's motivation to play AVGs also increases their motivation to play sedentary video games.

Conditions

• Child
• Overweight
• Sedentary Lifestyle

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	High Autonomy	Children will be given two active video games (AVGs) of their choice. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will be allowed to select their next game.
OTHER	Low Autonomy	Children will be given their most-liked active video game (AVG) from the baseline relative reinforcing value assessment. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will receive a pre-determined game.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-11-01
• Primary completion: 2018-05-04
• Completion: 2018-05-04
• First posted: 2016-10-20
• Last updated: 2025-04-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States