Active Videogames Against Obesity in Children
Condition: Childhood Obesity; Physical Activity; Sedentary Lifestyle; Body Fat
MeSH terms: Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Active video games are presented as an exercise option for children with little interest in
      traditional sports. The main objectives of this study are:

        1. To evaluate the effects of an active video game program on cardiometabolic risk in
           overweight/obese children

        2. to identify the effect of this intervention on physical fitness

        3. to study possible changes in the sedentary lifestyles of children after the exercise
           program.

      This is a randomized crossover study, with 2 intervention periods of 9 months each, and a
      3-month period of washing. Ninetytwo children between 9 and 11 years old who are overweight
      or obese will be included and randomly assigned to one of the 2 homogeneous groups
      (control-intervention). Both groups will receive education in healthy lifestyles, and the
      intervention group will also follow a physical exercise program with active video games (3-4
      days/week). The sessions will last between 30 and 45 minutes and will include different
      moderate-vigorous aerobic activities and muscular strength exercises. Body composition,
      physical fitness, levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin, lipid and ferric profiles, and
      markers of inflammation and metabolic risk such as insulin resistance, TNF-α, CRP, ALT, AST,
      gamma-GT and IL-6will be measured before and after the intervention. In addition, dietary
      habits (24h recalls), physical activity (accelerometers), blood pressure, waist and neck
      circumference, and pubertal development will be also assessed.
    

Detailed description: 
      Childhood obesity is one of the main problems in developed societies, and entails enormous
      expenditure for the National Health System. In addition, childhood obesity is strongly
      associated with adult obesity and with all types of cardiovascular and metabolic pathologies.
      Physical exercise has been shown to be the great non-pharmacological enemy of both childhood
      and adult obesity, however sport practice and adherence to it is not easy in the
      overweight/obese population. In this context, active video games are presented as an exercise
      option for children with little interest in traditional sports. The main objectives of this
      study are: (1) To evaluate the effects of an active video game program on cardiometabolic
      risk in overweight/obese children; (2) to identify the effect of this intervention on
      physical fitness and (3) to study possible changes in the sedentary lifestyles of children
      after the exercise program.

      This is a randomized crossover study, with 2 intervention periods of 9 months each, and a
      3-month period of washing. Ninetytwo children between 9 and 11 years old who are overweight
      or obese will be included and randomly assigned to one of the 2 homogeneous groups
      (control-intervention). Both groups will receive education in healthy lifestyles, and the
      intervention group will also follow a physical exercise program with active video games (3-4
      days/week). The sessions will last between 30 and 45 minutes and will include different
      moderate-vigorous aerobic activities and muscular strength exercises. Body composition,
      physical fitness, levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin, lipid and ferric profiles, and
      markers of inflammation and metabolic risk such as insulin resistance, TNF-α, CRP, ALT, AST,
      gamma-GT and IL-6will be measured before and after the intervention. In addition, dietary
      habits (24h recalls), physical activity (accelerometers), blood pressure, waist and neck
      circumference, and pubertal development will be also assessed.
    

Intervention name(s): active video-games
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): An intervention with active video-games to increase physical activity and improve body composition
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Obesity; Sedentary Lifestyle; Physical Activity; Childhood Obesity; Exergames; Body Composition; Physical Fitness; Cardiometabolic Risk