Active Games: Increasing the Attractiveness of Active Video Game Play for Youth

NCT02940431 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: GFHNRC406
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 49
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to look at the effects of active video game play on youth physical activity.

Conditions

Child; Overweight; Sedentary Lifestyle

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in relative reinforcing value (RRV) of active video games

  RRV of active video games will be assessed by evaluating the number of responses (mouse button presses) a participant is willing to complete to gain access to active video game play or an alternative (sedentary video game or traditional active play).

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Change in minutes of physical activity, as assessed by activity tracker

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

• Change in minutes spent in traditional active play, active and sedentary video game play, and other sedentary screen-based activities

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

• Beverage and snack food consumption

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

• Children's exercise self-efficacy

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

• Children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for physical activity

  Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

Study Arms (2)

High Autonomy

EXPERIMENTAL

Children will choose active video games for use during the study.

Other: High Autonomy

Low Autonomy

EXPERIMENTAL

Children will be assigned active video games for use during the study.

Other: Low Autonomy

Interventions

High Autonomy OTHER

Children will be given two active video games (AVGs) of their choice. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will be allowed to select their next game.

High Autonomy

Low Autonomy OTHER

Children will be given their most-liked active video game (AVG) from the baseline relative reinforcing value assessment. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will receive a pre-determined game.

Low Autonomy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Sedentary lifestyle
• BMI between 5th and 95th percentile

You may not qualify if:

• taking any medications that affect energy use or eating
• actively trying to lose weight
• has any medical conditions that prevent him/her from safely joining in physical activity
• exercises more than three times per week for one hour at a time
• does not engage in more than 14 hours per week of screen-based activities
• does not own an active video game system
• plays active video games more than 30 minutes per week

Sponsors & Collaborators

• USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58203, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Overweight; Sedentary Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• James N Roemmich, PhD

  USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 19, 2016
• First Posted: October 20, 2016
• Study Start: November 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: May 4, 2018
• Study Completion: May 4, 2018
• Last Updated: April 11, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)