NCT04116515

Active Video Games on Physical Activity (Main Trial)

The Narrative Effect of Active Video Games on Long-term Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (Main Trial)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 135 (actual)
• Sponsor: Northeastern University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 8 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of the study is to test the effects of different versions of active video games (AVGs) on body composition, cardiometabolic risks, and cognitive functions among overweight/obese children over 6 months.

Detailed description

The study aims to explore the effects of narrative-enhanced AVG on (1) body composition, (2) cardiometabolic risks, and (3) cognitive functioning among overweight/obese 8-12 years old children over 6 months. A total of 210 children will be recruited from Tufts Floating Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and Martha Eliot Health Center. The investigators divided the participants into three groups to evaluate the effect of using active game consoles and stories to motivate children to exercise: A third of them have standard clinical care only; a third of them have the same standard clinical care plus an Xbox and active games; the remaining third of them have the same standard clinical care, an Xbox and active games, plus the stories delivered to their Xbox consoles. Each child, accompanied by their guardian, will be asked to visit the Northeastern University Exercise Science Laboratory over the 6-month period. Blood samples, body composition (using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA Scan), and cognitive and affective evaluations of the active video games (AVGs) will be collected. Additionally, parents will be asked to fill out questionnaires related to their child's physical activity behaviors. Children would also be required to wear two accelerometers (essentially, a "smart watch" or activity tracker) on their wrist and waist for 7 consecutive days after the three visits within the 6 months.

Conditions

• Physical Inactivity in Children

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Xbox / active video games	The investigators would expect children to play active video games as a way to reduce their sedentary activities and increase their moderate and vigorous physical activities.
BEHAVIORAL	Animated cartoon narratives	The investigators would expect the animated cartoon narratives to motivate children to play more active video games as a way to reduce their sedentary activities and increase their moderate and vigorous physical activities.
BEHAVIORAL	Standard clinical care	Each clinic will provide standard clinical care to the participants.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-12-25
• Primary completion: 2022-05-22
• Completion: 2022-05-22
• First posted: 2019-10-04
• Last updated: 2023-03-31

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States