Active Videogames Against Obesity in Children

Body Fat, Childhood Obesity, Physical Activity, Sedentary Lifestyle

Obesity, Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Activity, Childhood Obesity, Exergames, Body Composition, Physical Fitness, Cardiometabolic Risk

Active video games are presented as an exercise option for children with little interest in traditional sports. The main objectives of this study are: 1. To evaluate the effects of an active video game program on cardiometabolic risk in overweight/obese children 2. to identify the effect of this intervention on physical fitness 3. to study possible changes in the sedentary lifestyles of children after the exercise program. This is a randomized crossover study, with 2 intervention periods of 9 months each, and a 3-month period of washing. Ninetytwo children between 9 and 11 years old who are overweight or obese will be included and randomly assigned to one of the 2 homogeneous groups (control-intervention). Both groups will receive education in healthy lifestyles, and the intervention group will also follow a physical exercise program with active video games (3-4 days/week). The sessions will last between 30 and 45 minutes and will include different moderate-vigorous aerobic activities and muscular strength exercises. Body composition, physical fitness, levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin, lipid and ferric profiles, and markers of inflammation and metabolic risk such as insulin resistance, TNF-α, CRP, ALT, AST, gamma-GT and IL-6will be measured before and after the intervention. In addition, dietary habits (24h recalls), physical activity (accelerometers), blood pressure, waist and neck circumference, and pubertal development will be also assessed.

Childhood obesity is one of the main problems in developed societies, and entails enormous expenditure for the National Health System. In addition, childhood obesity is strongly associated with adult obesity and with all types of cardiovascular and metabolic pathologies. Physical exercise has been shown to be the great non-pharmacological enemy of both childhood and adult obesity, however sport practice and adherence to it is not easy in the overweight/obese population. In this context, active video games are presented as an exercise option for children with little interest in traditional sports. The main objectives of this study are: (1) To evaluate the effects of an active video game program on cardiometabolic risk in overweight/obese children; (2) to identify the effect of this intervention on physical fitness and (3) to study possible changes in the sedentary lifestyles of children after the exercise program. This is a randomized crossover study, with 2 intervention periods of 9 months each, and a 3-month period of washing. Ninetytwo children between 9 and 11 years old who are overweight or obese will be included and randomly assigned to one of the 2 homogeneous groups (control-intervention). Both groups will receive education in healthy lifestyles, and the intervention group will also follow a physical exercise program with active video games (3-4 days/week). The sessions will last between 30 and 45 minutes and will include different moderate-vigorous aerobic activities and muscular strength exercises. Body composition, physical fitness, levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin, lipid and ferric profiles, and markers of inflammation and metabolic risk such as insulin resistance, TNF-α, CRP, ALT, AST, gamma-GT and IL-6will be measured before and after the intervention. In addition, dietary habits (24h recalls), physical activity (accelerometers), blood pressure, waist and neck circumference, and pubertal development will be also assessed.

Spain