Exploring casual exergames with kids using wheelchairs

Physical activity (PA) is important for health and well-being, but often PA is inaccessible for children using wheelchairs. In this work, we explore the potential of casual exergames to provide opportunities for physically active play. We apply existing wheelchair-controlled video games to explore children’s and parents’ perceptions of these games. Feedback shows that children and parents feel that casual exergames could be a valuable opportunity of offering wheelchair-accessible play, however, refinement of game concepts particularly regarding challenge and physical effort required to play is necessary. By integrating these findings into games for young people using wheelchairs in the future, we hope to provide opportunities for accessible and physically challenging play

Factors Associated with Sustained Exergaming: Longitudinal Investigation.

International audienceBACKGROUND: Exergaming is technology-driven physical activity (PA) which, unlike traditional video game play, requires that participants be physically active to play the game. Exergaming may have potential to increase PA and decrease sedentary behavior in youth, but little is known about sustained exergaming.OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to describe the frequency, correlates, and predictors of sustained exergaming.METHODS: Data were available in AdoQuest (2005-11), a longitudinal investigation of 1843 grade 5 students in Montréal, Canada. This analysis used data from grade 9 (2008-09) and 11 (2010-11). Participants at Time 1 (T1; mean age 14 years, SD 0.8 ) who reported past-week exergaming (n=186, 19.1% of AdoQuest sample) completed mailed self-report questionnaires at Time 2 (T2; mean age 16 years, SD 0.8). Independent sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral correlates (from T2)/predictors (from T1 or earlier) were identified using multivariable logistic regression.RESULTS: Of 186 exergamers at T1, 81 (44%) reported exergaming at T2. Being female and having higher introjected regulation (ie, a type of PA motivation indicative of internalizing PA as a behavior) were independent correlates. None of the predictors investigated were associated with sustained exergaming.CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of grade 9 exergamers sustained exergaming for 2 years. Exergaming may be a viable approach to help adolescents engage in and sustain PA during adolescence. Sex and PA motivation may be important in the sustainability of exergaming

Decreasing sedentary behaviours in pre-adolescents using casual exergames at school

There are risks to too much sedentary behaviour, regardless of a person's level of physical activity, particularly for children. As exercise habits instilled during childhood are strong predictors of healthy lifestyles later in life, it is important that schools break up long sedentary periods with short periods of physical activity. Casual exergames are an appealing option for schools who wish to engage adolescents, and have been shown to provide exertion levels at recommended values, even when played for only 10 minutes. In this paper we describe a preliminary survey with teachers of a local school that informed the deployment of a casual exergame with a group of preadolescent students from the same school. We show that students preferred the game to traditional exercise, that the game was able to generate appropriate levels of exertion in pre-adolescents, and that students have a sophisticated understanding of the role of exercise in their lives. Overall, we establish the feasibility of casual exergames for combating sedentary behavior in preteen classrooms. © 2014 ACM.</p

Decreasing sedentary behaviours in pre-adolescents using casual exergames at school

There are risks to too much sedentary behaviour, regardless of a person's level of physical activity, particularly for children. As exercise habits instilled during childhood are strong predictors of healthy lifestyles later in life, it is important that schools break up long sedentary periods with short periods of physical activity. Casual exergames are an appealing option for schools who wish to engage adolescents, and have been shown to provide exertion levels at recommended values, even when played for only 10 minutes. In this paper we describe a preliminary survey with teachers of a local school that informed the deployment of a casual exergame with a group of preadolescent students from the same school. We show that students preferred the game to traditional exercise, that the game was able to generate appropriate levels of exertion in pre-adolescents, and that students have a sophisticated understanding of the role of exercise in their lives. Overall, we establish the feasibility of casual exergames for combating sedentary behavior in preteen classrooms. © 2014 ACM

Contribution of Exergaming Behaviour to Physical Activity: Toward Better Understanding the Role of Motivation

Physical activity (PA) is associated with numerous health benefits. Because PA patterns established early in life track into adulthood, it is important that children develop and sustain healthy PA habits. Current guidelines recommend that youth accumulate ≥ 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity PA daily, but many youth do not attain this level. Evaluation of public health interventions that aim to promote PA provide little evidence of sustained positive effects over time. This could relate, at least in part, to interventions lacking a strong conceptual foundation and, in particular, to a lack of underpinnings that recognize the central role of motivation in PA. It is important that effective strategies to increase and sustain healthy PA levels in youth are identified. The Self-Determination Theory is used to explain why people adopt and maintain healthy PA behaviors and posits that sustained PA relates to natural or intrinsic tendencies or motivations to behave in healthy and effective ways. Positive PA experiences in school, at home and in community settings may foster an internal desire or motivation to sustain PA participation simply for its challenges or for enjoyment. Lack of sustained PA among youth could reflect a scarcity of enjoyable PA options that fit with the sophisticated technetronic expectations of youth today. PA interventions must “keep up with the times,” by acknowledging young peoples’ prevailing interests and by incorporating advancements in technology that heighten interest and motivation for PA. Exergaming, a type of non-sedentary videogame that requires players to be physically active in order to attain a series of incrementally challenging goals, is increasingly viewed as an enjoyable PA option among today’s technology-immersed youth. However, although critical to informing the design, implementation and sustainability of exergaming interventions, evidence on exergaming-related motivation, preferences, intentions and sustainability is lacking. Research in this domain is needed to ascertain whether exergaming interventions can help youth become and remain physically active, and which facets of exergaming hold the most promise in sustaining positive PA change. More specifically, using “gamified augmented reality” such as exergaming could help youth attain recommended PA levels and promote sustainable healthy behaviour, while at the same time contributing to enjoyment of PA. The three studies described in this thesis examine motivation and exergaming in-depth using SDT and its tenants as a theoretical guide and a common theme across studies. Thus, the role of motivation and intentions in exergaming behaviour and how they contribute to PA in the general population of youth is a key contribution of this dissertation. Study 1, a review of reviews on exergaming, provides background for the next two studies, each of which was conducted in population-based (as opposed to clinical or experimental) settings. Twenty-five reviews spanning 2009 to 2016 were retained, each of which incorporated between 5 and 100 articles. A positive relationship between exergaming and energy expenditure (EE) was well-documented, but whether exergaming increases PA or changes body composition was not established. There is however, evidence that exergaming (i.e., as a non-sedentary use of screens) is a healthy alternative to sedentary behaviour, that it improves cognitive function, that it is an interesting and enjoyable pastime in youth, that it shows promise as a PA option by adding variety and alternative PA forms in health and dietary interventions and finally that it is likely more health-promoting than traditional videogames because of higher EE and possibly improved physical fitness, body composition and cognitive health. However, more research and specifically, longitudinal studies are needed to assess whether exergaming can be sustained to obtain these benefits over time. Study 2 identified correlates of sustained exergaming. We reported that almost 50% of grade 9 students sustained exergaming for 2-3 years. Study results suggest that in non-clinical settings, exergaming may be a practical approach to help adolescents maintain PA during adolescence. Study 3 examined the psychometric properties of a new scale to assess reasons for exergaming (i.e., the Reasons to Exergame (RTEX) scale). This study also examined whether and how the scale relates to the timing, intensity and duration of past-month exergaming. RTEX items were developed in consultation with PA and exergaming experts and using key exergaming constructs, including PA, general interest in videogames and enjoyment of exergaming. RTEX was found to be a reliable and valid assessment of reasons to exergame. However, further studies should replicate these initial findings in larger, more diverse samples

The potential of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to engage people with physical activity

Introduction: Sufficient physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and improves physical and psychosocial health. The levels of PA in the UK and elsewhere in the world remain low for all age groups. Novel strategies for engaging people in PA are required to tackle the epidemic of inactivity. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is computer-generated, interactive 3D environments that offer users unique immersive experiences of PA. / Aims: The aim of this mixed-methods, staged research project (vEngage) was to test the potential of VR and AR to engage people in PA. This work was a Medical Research Council (MRC) funded partnership between academic researchers (UCL, Coventry, and Anglia Ruskin Universities) and an industry partner ‘Six to Start’. / Methods: I surveyed and interviewed the users of the world’s most popular running app Zombies, Run! (ZR) (Studies 1 and 2). I then conducted a scoping review in a form of a qualitative analysis of game reviews on popular VR exercise games (exergames) and described positive and negative features, current players of VR exergames report, as important motivators for exergame playing (Study 3). In parallel, the vEngage team set up a steering committee of adolescents (13-17 years) and their parents and interviewed both groups about PA, VR, AR, and exergaming (Studies 4a and 4b). We used the results from these studies to inform our VR exergame intervention (a game called Walls - Study 5) which we developed together with expert games designers Six to Start. / Results: VR is a promising strategy for engaging adolescents in PA but barriers to use remain, including awareness, availability, affordability, and accessibility. The results showed people have a positive attitude to exergaming, with a preference for narratives (engaging story, role-play). This was particularly supported by both ZR studies, where the narrative was the most motivating factor for engagement in PA for all age groups. VR and AR exergaming can distract people from the negative aspects of performing PA such as pain or repetition. / Conclusions: This research project was the first VR study that used principles of co-design in creating a digital VR exergame intervention for adolescents, by engaging adolescents themselves in the exergame design. AR and VR exergaming has great potential to engage a wide range of people in PA and can be particularly useful as means for PA engagement in a time of world pandemics such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic, where gym and fitness facilities are not accessible for unspecified periods of time