Evaluating Physical and Perceptual Responses to Exergames in Chinese Children

Patrick W. C. Lau, Yan Liang, Erica Y. Lau, Choung-Rak Choi, Chang-Gyun Kim and Myung-Soo Shin
Additional contact information
Patrick W. C. Lau: Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
Yan Liang: Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
Erica Y. Lau: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Choung-Rak Choi: Sports Management, Division of Sport Science, College of Science and Technology, Konkuk University, ASI KR KS001, Chungju, Korea
Chang-Gyun Kim: Division of Sports Science, College of Arts and Design, Gachon University, ASI KR KS009, Seongnam, Korea
Myung-Soo Shin: Sports Management, Division of Sport Science, College of Science and Technology, Konkuk University, ASI KR KS001, Chungju, Korea

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Purpose : The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO 2 , and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Methods : Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO 2 and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Results : Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05–5.14, VO 2 (mL/kg/min) from 9.98–25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05–149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO 2 reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion : Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children’s physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.

Keywords: exergame; energy expenditure; heart rate; physical exertion; overweight; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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