NCT01655901

Brief Summary

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Video games have enormous mass appeal, are omnipresent in the daily schedule of most children and youth and have been linked to the obesity epidemic. The investigators research group recently reported that sedentary video game playing increases food intake in adolescents. Interestingly, the overconsumption of food associated with seated video game play was observed without increased sensations of hunger and appetite, as previously observed with television viewing. Active video games offer an appealing opportunity for increasing energy expenditure and promoting healthy body weight among children and youth who might otherwise be spending time in sedentary screen-based activities. However, significant increases in energy expenditure as a result of active video game play might be of little importance to energy balance if one compensates by increasing energy intake and/or decreasing physical activity. Studies to date have failed to measure energy intake so it is currently unknown the effects of active video games on daily energy balance. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to examine the acute effects of playing active video games on energy intake and expenditure. HYPOTHESIS: The investigators hypothesize that the increase in energy expenditure promoted by active video games will be offset by compensatory adjustments in food intake and spontaneous physical activity subsequent to the intervention. RESEARCH PLAN: With the use of a randomized crossover design, 30 normal-weight and 30 obese adolescents between 13 and 17 years of age will complete three 1-hour experimental conditions, namely (1) resting in a sitting position (control condition), (2) playing Xbox 360 (sedentary video game condition) and (3) playing Kinect (active video game condition), followed by an ad libitum lunch. The primary outcomes will be acute (24-h) and short-term (3-day) energy intake and expenditure. Food intake will be measured using an ad libitum test meal immediately following the intervention, a food menu for the remainder of the day and a dietary record for the subsequent 3-day period. Energy expenditure will be measured using indirect calorimetry during the intervention and an Actical accelerometer for the subsequent 3-day period. Secondary outcomes will include appetite sensations (visual analogue scales), stress markers (heart rate variability, blood pressure, and mental workload), and levels of appetite-related hormones and substrates (glucose, insulin, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin). RELEVANCE: The present study is innovative and likely to result in a number of new and important findings that can inform future recommendations. If the investigators confirm our hypothesis, the clinical implication will be to rethink the strategy of promoting active video games as an intervention tool for the prevention of overweight and obesity in youth.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
30

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2012

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 30, 2012

Completed
3 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 2, 2012

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2012

Completed
2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2014

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

September 1, 2014

Completed
5 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

August 19, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

August 19, 2019

Status Verified

July 1, 2019

Enrollment Period

2 years

First QC Date

July 30, 2012

Results QC Date

April 16, 2018

Last Update Submit

July 12, 2019

Conditions

Keywords

Active video gamesFood intakeEnergy balanceAdolescents

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Energy Intake and Energy Expenditure (Over 24 Hours and Over 3 Days)

    Energy intake (kJ) was measured using an ad libitum test meal immediately following the 3 experimental conditions, a food menu for the remainder of the day, and a dietary record for the subsequent 3-day period. Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry during the 3 experimental conditions, and by using an Actical accelerometer for the subsequent 3-day period.

    Acute (24 hours) and short-term (3 days)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Appetite Sensation

    1 day

  • Stress Marker

    1 day

  • Levels of Appetite-related Hormones

    1 hour

Study Arms (3)

Active video gaming

EXPERIMENTAL

Playing Kinect

Behavioral: Active video gamingBehavioral: Passive video gamingBehavioral: Resting

Passive video gaming

EXPERIMENTAL

Playing Xbox 360

Behavioral: Active video gamingBehavioral: Passive video gamingBehavioral: Resting

Resting

EXPERIMENTAL

Stay seated on a comfortable chair

Behavioral: Active video gamingBehavioral: Passive video gamingBehavioral: Resting

Interventions

Active video gamingPassive video gamingResting
Active video gamingPassive video gamingResting
RestingBEHAVIORAL
Active video gamingPassive video gamingResting

Eligibility Criteria

Age13 Years - 17 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17)

You may qualify if:

  • Adolescent between the ages of 13 and 17

You may not qualify if:

  • Current smoker
  • Unstable body weight (±4 kg) during the 6 months preceding testing
  • Excessive intake of alcohol (\>10 drinks/week) or substance abuse
  • Metabolic disease (e.g. thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, etc)
  • Celiac disease or vegetarian
  • Medication use that could interfere with the outcome variables
  • Highly restrained eating behavior
  • Irregular eating pattern (e.g. skipping breakfast)
  • Unfamiliar with the use of video games
  • Inability to comply with the protocol

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute

Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Chaput JP, Visby T, Nyby S, Klingenberg L, Gregersen NT, Tremblay A, Astrup A, Sjodin A. Video game playing increases food intake in adolescents: a randomized crossover study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jun;93(6):1196-203. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.008680. Epub 2011 Apr 13.

    PMID: 21490141BACKGROUND
  • Gribbon A, McNeil J, Jay O, Tremblay MS, Chaput JP. Active video games and energy balance in male adolescents: a randomized crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1126-34. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.105528. Epub 2015 Mar 11.

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Exergaming

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ExerciseMotor ActivityMovementMusculoskeletal Physiological PhenomenaMusculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Results Point of Contact

Title
Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput
Organization
CHEO Research Institute

Study Officials

  • Jean-Philippe Chaput, PhD

    Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
CROSSOVER
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Junior Research Chair

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 30, 2012

First Posted

August 2, 2012

Study Start

September 1, 2012

Primary Completion

September 1, 2014

Study Completion

September 1, 2014

Last Updated

August 19, 2019

Results First Posted

August 19, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-07

Locations