Habituation and cardiovascular responses to the Gamercize Stepper in Hong Kong Chinese girls

Objective: Contingent active videogame systems have been shown to result in increases in physical activity and decreases in sedentary behavior. The feasibility of using contingent active gaming systems (e.g., the videogame freezes when physical exertion ceases) as an activity alternative and whether these systems will elicit activity of moderate to vigorous intensity is unknown. We aimed to determine whether Hong Kong Chinese girls (8.5±0.3 years old) would (1) easily habituate to stepping and playing videogames and (2) whether stepping and videogaming would result in cardiovascular responses beneficial to health. Subjects and Methods: Basic anthropometric measures as well as peak oxygen uptake (VO2) were assessed on the first of two laboratory visits. The girls were also given playing instructions for three XBbox 360 (Nintendo, Kyoto, Japan) games: “The Bee Movie,” “Surfs Up,” and “Kung Fu Panda.” On the second laboratory visit, the girls completed a habituation protocol and a 15-minute play session on the Gamercize® (Databridge Services Ltd., Southampton, United Kingdom) Stepper™, during which cardiovascular effort was assessed using heart rate monitoring. Results: Direct observation of the girls showed that four girls needed 90 seconds and 12 of the girls only required 60 seconds to habituate to the Gamercize Stepper. There was no significant difference (t15=–1.944, P>0.05) between the heart rate at 55 percent of peak VO2 (144±9 beats/minute) and heart rate during Gamercize stepping (139±13 beats/minute), indicating that mean heart rates in both conditions were similar. Further analysis showed that 25 percent of the girls stepped and played videogames at a heart rate equivalent to moderate intensity. Conclusions: Although the girls easily habituated to the Gamercize Stepper, a majority of the girls did not step and videogame at moderate intensity levels, which are associated with body composition changes. Further investigations are warranted to determine mediators responsible for increasing physical activity levels to meet current recommendations.published_or_final_versio

Comparison of musculoskeletal strength and body composition of Hong Kong Chinese rugby players, dragon boat paddlers and controls

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Do children choose to play active video games when given the choice between seated and ambulatory video game play? A study of children's play choice

Session III – Theory, Technology and Best Practice (slides)postprintGameDays Conference 2011, Darmstadt, Germany, 12-13 September 2011

Perspectives on Exergaming (Letter to the Editor)

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Active video games and physical activity recommendations: A comparison of the Gamercize Stepper, XBOX Kinect and XaviX J-Mat

The current study was designed to evaluate the intensity levels of three exergames and deter-mine the association with physical activity recommendations that correspond to specific outcomes. The variation in cardiovascular responses between the three exergames was also examined. We employed a cross-sectional laboratory design. We recruited 18 girls to participate in a peak VO2test and to play Gamercize, Kinect RiverRush, XaviX J-Mat at three separate exergaming sessions. Linear regression equations of heart rate and percentage of peak VO2were calculated for each participant to determine the intensity of exergame play. Differences in intensity between the three exergames and time spent in the recommended moderate (heart rate at ≥55% peak VO2) and vigorous (heart rate at ≥75% peak VO2) intensity levels were analyzed. We calculated the coefficient of variation for the mean heart rate to determine the difference in variance in heart rate values for the three exergames. When playing Gamercize and Kinect the girls did not play at recommended moderate or vigorous levels. Although the girls did not play at vigorous levels when playing XaviX J-Mat, our results showed that when playing XaviX J-Mat they did play at moderate intensity levels. No significant differences in the coefficient of variation between the three exergames were apparent. If active gaming is to be used to increase physical activity levels then individual differences in levels of exertion and specific activity recommendations need to be taken into consideration

Measurement of resting energy expenditure in healthy children

Background: The role that the components of energy expenditure play in the etiology of childhood obesity has highlighted the need for greater accuracy and standardized protocols for the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE). However, protocols used to assess REE in children are varied, and consensus on a suitable method for measuring REE in children has not been reached. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of measurement time and measurement device (mask or mouthpiece) on REE in healthy children. Design: Following a 12-hour fast and abstinence from exercise, 23 children (age, 7 12 years) completed two 35-minute protocols: one with a face mask and the other with a mouthpiece/noseclip. Energy expenditure was measured continuously via indirect calorimetry, while device acceptability was assessed using a 6-point comfort rating scale. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated that there was no significant difference in REE when measured after 10, 15, 20, or 25 minutes of rest compared to 30 minutes for either the mask or mouthpiece/noseclip (REE range, 1371 1460 kcal/d). Examination of the percentage coefficient of variation (CV) in energy expenditure for each time period by device showed that the least variation existed after 20 minutes of measurement using the mask (CV 6%). Paired t test analysis indicated significantly less discomfort when wearing the mask compared to the mouthpiece/ noseclip. Conclusion: It would appear that a 20-minute protocol using a mask may increase compliance and prove to be a more practical protocol for measuring REE in children. © 2009 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Energy expenditure and cardiovascular responses to seated and active gaming in children

Objective: To examine energy expenditure and cardiovascular responses in children during seated and active gaming. Design: Comparison study. Setting: Children's Exercise Laboratory, University of Hong Kong. Participants: Eighteen children (aged 6-12 years) recruited from local primary schools. Main Exposure: Active and seated computer games played by all participants. Main Outcome Measures: Resting energy expenditure and heart rate measured before gaming, during seated gaming, and during use of 2 active gaming formats (XaviX bowling and XaviX J-Mat; SSD Company Ltd, Shiga, Japan). We used repeated-measures analyses of variance to compare the outcome measures. Results: The energy expenditure was significantly higher during seated gaming (mean [SD], 1.31 [0.19] kcal/ min-1; P<.001), XaviX bowling (1.89 [0.45] kcal/min-1; P<.001), and XaviX J-Mat gaming (5.23 [1.63] kcal/ min-1; P<.001) compared with rest. The energy expended above rest was significantly higher for the 2 active gaming formats (P<.001 for both) compared with seated gaming. The heart rate was significantly higher during XaviX bowling (mean [SD, ]102 [20] beats/min-1; P<.001) and XaviX J-Mat gaming (160 [20] beats/ min-1; P<.001) compared with rest. Heart rate during the XaviX J-Mat gaming was significantly higher than during seated gaming (P<.001). Conclusions: This study has shown that using active gaming media results in meaningful increases in energy expenditure and heart rate compared with the seated screen environment. Manipulating the gaming environment can provide children with appealing activity alternatives, and further development of "exertainment" interventions is warranted, in particular determination of sustainability. ©2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex