Physical activity using exergames in children with obesity: scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0221e.41183Keywords:
exergaming; obesity; physical activity; childAbstract
Introduction: Childhood obesity is a significant concern during the preschool and school years, critical periods that influence long-term health. Gamification in physical activity aims to integrate exercise as an enjoyable experience, making it a feasible and sustainable practice within family routines.
Objective: To map the scientific evidence on interventions promoting physical activity using exergames in preschool and school-aged children with overweight or obesity.
Methods: Scoping Review following the methodological principles proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, with the main sources of information being databases and grey literature. Data selection and extraction were carried out by two independent researchers, with the intervention of a third in case of discrepancies.
Results: The included studies suggest that physical activity for these children should be aerobic, lasting between 15 and 120 minutes, practiced three to seven times a week. The resources include consoles and web platforms. The measurement indicators cover anthropometric, cardiovascular, behavioral, and psychosocial dimensions, with the practice of physical activity using exergames being
feasible in any context.
Conclusion: The study concludes that exergames are an innovative and effective approach to promoting physical activity, while also contributing to an in-depth analysis of the characteristics of existing interventions. However, further research is needed to explore this type of intervention in younger age groups, with larger samples and longer follow-up periods, in order to maximize its impact.
Downloads
References
Agard, B., Zeng, N., McCloskey, M. L., Johnson, S. L., & Bellows, L. L. (2021). Moving together: Understanding parent perceptions related to physical activity and motor skill development in preschool children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 9196. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179196
Alotaibi, M, Alnajjar, F. Cappuccio, M., Khalid, S., Alhmiedat, T., & Mubin, O. (2022). Efficacy of emerging technologies to manage childhood obesity. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, 15, 1227-1244. https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S357176
Benzing, V., & Schmidt, M. (2018). Exergaming for children and adolescents: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(11), 422. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7110422
Biljon, A. V., Longhurst, G., Shaw, I., & Shaw, B. S. (2021). Role of exergame play on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in overweight and obese children. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.106782
Christison, A. L., Evans, T. A., Bleess, B. B., Wang, H., Aldag, J. C., & Binns, H. J. (2016). Exergaming for health: A randomized study of community-based exergaming curriculum in pediatric weight management. Games For Health Journal, 5(6), 413-421. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27911621/
Direção Geral de Saúde. (2013). Programa Nacional de Saúde Infantil e Juvenil (Norma n.º 010/2013). Direção Geral de Saúde. https://shre.ink/5BI7
Direção Geral de Saúde. (2016). Estratégia Nacional para a Promoção da Atividade Física, da Saúde e do Bem-Estar. Direção Geral de Saúde. https://sl1nk.com/vEIpb
Direção Geral de Saúde. (2022a). Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável. Direção Geral de Saúde. https://sl1nk.com/L03eT
Direção Geral de Saúde. (2022b). Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Atividade Física. Direção Geral de Saúde. https://pt.scribd.com/document/661489690/PNPAF-2022
Foley, L. Jiang, Y., Mhurchu, C. N., Jull, A., Prapavessis, H., Rodgers, A., & Maddison, R. (2014). The effect of active video games by ethnicity, sex and fitness: Subgroup analysis from a randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 11(46). http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/11/1/46
Irandoust, K., Taheri, M., H’mida, C., Neto, G. R., Trabelsi, K., Ammar, A., Souissi, N., Chtourou, H., Nikolaidis, P., Rosemann, T., & Knechtle, B. (2020). Exergaming and aquatic exercises affect lung function and weight loss in obese children. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(6), 566-572. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33176381/
Maddison, R., Foley, L., Mhurchu, C. N., Jiang, Y., Jull, A., Prapavessis, H., Hohepa, M., & Rodgers, A. (2011). Effects of active video games on body composition: A randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutricion, 94(1), 156163. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21562081/
Martí, A. C., Álvarez-Pitti, J. C., Provinciale, J. G., Lisón, J. F., & Rivera, R. B. (2015). Alternative options for prescribing physical activity among obese children and adolescents: Brisk walking supported by an exergaming platform. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 31(2), 841-848. http://www.aulamedica.es/nh/pdf/7929.pdf
Mazeas, A., Duclos, M., Pereira, B., & Chalabaev, A. (2022). Evaluating the effectiveness of gamification on physical activity: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(1). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34982715/
Navarro, J., Escobar, P. Cebolla, A., Lisón, J. F., Pitti, J. A., Guixerres, J., Botella, C., & Banõs, R. M. (2017). Exergames on line for childhood obesity: Using a web platform as an ambulatory program to increase the acceptance and adherence to physical activity. In K. Giokas, L. Gatzoulis, & K. Luksza (Eds.), eHealth 360º (pp. 127-134). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49655-9_16
Penko, A., & Barkley, J. (2010). Motivation and physiologic responses of playing a physically interactive video game relative to a sedentary alternative in children. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 39(2) 162-169. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20169428/
Qi, J., Yan, Y., & Yin, H. (2023). Screen time among school-aged children of aged 6–14: A systematic review. Global Health Research and Policy, 8(12). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-023-00297-z
Ramos, D. K., & Oliveira, M. C. (2023). Brincadeira, jogos analógicos e digitais: Entrelaçamentos conceituais. Revista Humanidades e Inovação, 10 (7), 10-23. https://shre.ink/5Br6
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Millenium - Journal of Education, Technologies, and Health
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who submit proposals for this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Articles are published under the Licença Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), in full open-access, without any cost or fees of any kind to the author or the reader;
b) The authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication, allowing the free sharing of work, provided it is correctly attributed the authorship and initial publication in this journal;
c) The authors are permitted to take on additional contracts separately for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg, post it to an institutional repository or as a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal;
d) Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg, in institutional repositories or on their website) as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as increase the impact and citation of published work
Documents required for submission
Article template (Editable format)
