Active Video Games and Sustainable Physical Activity

描述（由申请人提供）：儿童超重和肥胖的患病率很高，对儿童和成年期的健康有负面影响。预防和有效治疗对于降低成人肥胖、2型糖尿病和心血管疾病的风险非常重要。体育活动（PA）可以影响儿童超重、肥胖和合并症的发生率。有必要在老年青年PA下降之前增加儿童PA。电子游戏在孩子们的日常生活中已经根深蒂固，因此它是一种引入健康行为的潜在渠道，但它也是缺乏活动的一个来源。积极的电子游戏可以将能量消耗增加到符合儿童PA指南的强度，但没有足够的证据表明它们能够积极影响PA时间，或在更长的时间内保持积极的游戏。活跃的电子游戏能够吸引玩家并维持他们的参与度。PA的人口参与水平很低，表明PA尚未被证明对大多数人口来说是一种内在的激励活动。积极的电子游戏被设计成令人愉快的，但它们的快乐价值并不依赖于活动成分。活跃的电子游戏的乐趣可能会增加儿童的PA水平，特别是在被认为不安全的社区，儿童不允许外出。本研究旨在探讨(1)在家庭环境中积极和不积极玩电子游戏的时间轨迹，(2)积极玩电子游戏对整体PA和BMI的影响，(3)动机变量、感知社区安全、媒体养育实践和家庭媒体环境对游戏的影响，以及(4)哪些电子游戏特征鼓励游戏的可持续性。80名儿童和他们的主要照顾者将参加一项为期18周的随机对照试验（游戏邦注：包括活跃或不活跃的视频游戏），根据家长认为的安全或不安全的社区进行分层。参与的家庭将获得一个视频游戏机和两个活跃或不活跃的视频游戏：一个在第一个6周开始时，另一个在第二个6周开始时。参与儿童的PA水平将在视频游戏引入前一周以及第1、6、7、12、13和18周使用加速度计测量。他们会记录第1、6、7和12周的游戏情况。目标视频游戏时间将在第6、12和18周结束时从存储在控制台的信息中转录出来。研究人员将设计一份调查问卷，检查孩子们玩电子游戏的动机（第6周和第12周结束），并对孩子们的游戏体验进行简短的定性访谈（第6周、第12周和第18周结束）。项目团队结合了视频游戏、儿童行为变化、PA测量、定性访谈和数据分析方面的专业知识。公共卫生相关性：可持续的体育活动是预防儿童肥胖流行的关键组成部分。电子游戏是一种非常受欢迎的活动。这个项目将研究在家庭环境中积极玩电子游戏的可持续性以及儿童玩这些游戏的动机。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is high and has negative health implications during childhood and adulthood. Prevention and effective treatment are important to reduce risks of adult obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Physical activity (PA) can influence the incidence of overweight, obesity and co-morbidities in children. There is a need to increase PA in children before the period of decline of PA seen in older youth. Video game play is established in the daily life of children and is therefore a potential channel for introducing healthy behaviors, but is also a source of inactivity. Active video games can increase energy expenditure to intensities that meet PA guidelines for children, but there is insufficient evidence regarding their ability to positively affect PA time, or maintain active game play over longer periods. Active video games could attract players and sustain their involvement. Population participation levels in PA are low, indicating that PA has not proven to be an intrinsically motivating activity for the majority of the population. Active video games were designed to be enjoyable, but their hedonic value does not rely on the activity component. The enjoyment of active video games may contribute to increasing PA levels in children, especially in neighborhoods considered unsafe, where the children are not allowed outside. The present study aims to investigate (1) the temporal trajectory from point of accession of active and inactive video game play in the home environment, (2) the effect of active video game play on overall PA and BMI, (3) effects of motivational variables, perceived neighborhood safety, media parenting practices and the home media environment on game play, and (4) what video game characteristics encourage sustainability of play. Eighty children and their primary caregivers will participate in an 18-week randomized control trial (active or inactive video game) stratified by parent perceived safe or unsafe neighborhood. Participating families will be given a video game console and two active or inactive video games: one at the beginning of the first 6-week period and another at the beginning of the second 6-week period. PA levels of participating children will be measured using accelerometry the week prior to the introduction of the video game and on weeks 1, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 18. They will keep a log of video game play on weeks 1, 6, 7 and 12. Objective video game play time will be transcribed at the end of weeks 6, 12 and 18 from information stored in the console. A questionnaire designed to examine the motivation to play a video game (end of weeks 6 and 12) and brief qualitative interviews on the children's experiences with the games (end of weeks 6, 12 and 18) will be administered. The project team combines expertise in video game play, behavioral change in children, measurement of PA, qualitative interviews and data analysis. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Sustainable physical activity is a key component of prevention programs to combat the epidemic of obesity in children. Video games are a highly popular activity. This project will examine the sustainability of active video game play in the home environment and motivation of children to play these games.