Effect of an Intervention Program Based on Active Video Games and Motor Games on Health Indicators in University Students: A Pilot Study

Félix Zurita-Ortega, Ramón Chacón-Cuberos, Manuel Castro-Sánchez, Francisco Luis Gutiérrez-Vela and Gabriel González-Valero
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Félix Zurita-Ortega: Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Ramón Chacón-Cuberos: Department of Integrated Didactics, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Manuel Castro-Sánchez: Department of Education. University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Francisco Luis Gutiérrez-Vela: Department of Languages and Computer Systems, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Gabriel González-Valero: Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: (1) Background: High levels of physical inactivity caused by sedentary digital screen leisure constitute one of the main causes of the high levels of obesity observed in today’s society; (2) Methods: The present study aims to analyse the effect of a 12-week intervention program based on the application of active video games and motor games on health status indicators, problematic use of video games, and resilience capacity in university students. Besides, the content blocks of the Physical Education (PE) field are worked on through these devices, revealing their potential as an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resource. A longitudinal study with a pre-experimental design with pretest–posttest measurements in a single group ( n = 47) was performed, using as main instruments a Tanita TBF300® bioimpedance scale, the 20mSRT test for maximum oxygen consumption ( V O 2 max ), the Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet Test (KIDMED), the Questionnaire for Experiences Related to Video games (QERV) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC); (3) Results: The main results were a discrete improvement in the percentage of fat mass and V O 2 max , representing a small effect size in both cases. The quality of the diet followed and the confidence and tolerance for adversity as a resilience factor were also improved, representing a medium size effect for this last variable; (4) Conclusions: Despite the limitations of this study as it does not have a control group, the main conclusions are that active video games and motor games can be a motivational resource to follow an active lifestyle, helping to improve health status indicators in young adults.

Keywords: video games; motor games; physical fitness; Mediterranean diet; resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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