Table 2. Intervention characteristics.
| Study | Intervention delivery | Intervention duration and frequency | Engagement and compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVGs only interventions | |||
| Baranowski et al. [37] | Provided with Wii console, & peripherals. Choice of 1 AVG from a selection of 5 at week 1 & 7. Child-led engagement with intervention. | 13 weeks. No prescribed game play duration or frequency. | Console log recorded date, name and duration of game play. Children & parents recorded name of game, time of day played and who played it (only during weeks 1, 6, 7 and 12). |
| Graves et al. [36] | Provided with 2 sets of pedometers and a device (jOG, New Concept Gaming Ltd) that linked to the child’s PlayStation 2/3 console controller and translated stepping action into the movement of game characters. Parent- and child-led |
12 weeks, no prescribed duration or frequency of play, but participants and parents were encouraged to use the jOG setup instead of usual seated inactive game play | Self-reported use of intervention at 6 and 12 weeks. Time spent on AVGs increased significantly at mid intervention compared to control (0.95 h.d-1). Significant decrease in time spent on step-powered AVGs at end vs mid intervention (P = 0.01). |
| Howie et al. [38] | Provided with a Playstation3 and Move and Eye input devices, an Xbox 360 with Kinect input and 11 AVGs (additional 2 games mid intervention). Child-led where children could select the AVGs from the range provided. Researchers provided technical support every 2 weeks. |
16 weeks. Requested to complete 20 minutes a day on most days of the week. | Self-reported (daily calendar) game use, physical activity and other electronic game use. Research assistants checked self-report data every 2 weeks. Mean AVG play of 140.3 ± 62.9 min.wk-1. 90% of participants met the minimum recommended average of 80 minutes per week. |
| Maddison et al. [35] | Provided with Sony Eye Toy, camera, dance mat and selection of AVGs throughout the intervention. Child-led. |
24 weeks. Instructed to play AVGs to replace inactive periods and periods of playing inactive video games. Encouraged to meet 60 mins MVPA on most days | Self-reported use of intervention at 12 and 24 weeks only. Mean AVG play of 15.5 ± 26.3 min.d-1 at 12 weeks and 10.2 ± 23.9 min.d-1 at 24 weeks (<30% compliance with recommended daily game play) Significant increase of 10 min.d-1 in time spent playing AVGs l (P<0.01). |
| Mark and Rhodes [24] | Provided with a gamebike (Cat Eye Electronics) that could control games on a PlayStation 2 (they were loaned a PlayStation if they didn’t have one) and 3 games. Child-led. |
6 weeks, given a copy of Canada’s PA Guide to help specify the amount of PA | Self-reported logs of duration and frequency of use. Data not provided. |
| Ni Mhurchu et al. [23] | Provided with AVGs, EyeToy and dance mat. Parent- and child-led. |
12 weeks. Instructed to substitute usual non-active video game play with active game play. | Self-reported logs of active and inactive game play at baseline, week 6 and 12. Mean AVG play of 41 min.d-1. Significantly greater AVG play of 41 vs. 27 minutes (P = 0.03) |
| Rhodes et al. [40] | Provided with exergame bike (Hogan Health interactive system and Sony Playstation3 that could be linked to a TV monitor) and 5 games. Child-led. |
13 weeks, 3 days a week, 30 minutes a day, at 60–75% of heart rate reserve | Self-reported logs of duration and frequency of use. Mean AVG play of 74.4 min.wk-1 (week 1, ~82% compliance), 19.7 min.wk-1 (weeks 3–9, ~22% compliance), and 7.8 min.wk-1 (weeks 10–13, ~9% compliance). |
| AVGs plus other component interventions | |||
| Errickson et al. [41] | Provided with PlayStation 2 console, dance AVG and 2 padded dance mats. Initial in-home coaching to demonstrate the game. Series of individual coaching sessions for intervention sub-group. Families received ongoing technical support from staff. Children were provided with a camera to photograph high game scores |
10 weeks. Prescribed 120 minutes of game play a week over at least 4 days. No restrictions around additional game play. 4 x 45 min coaching sessions for sub-group |
Console log of number of songs and the highest grade for each song—two-thirds of memory cards were returned. Self-report log of total minutes. % completion of self-report log = 67% and 72% at week 1 and week 10 for IG1, and 82% and 41% at week 1 and week 10 for IG2. Mean weekly range of AVG use = 64 to 149 min.wk-1 (IG1) and 47 to 184 min.wk-1 (IG2). Mean AVG use for both groups declined from 164 min.wk-1 (week 1) to 64 min.wk-1(week 10). AVG use greater for IG2 vs. IG1 during first 5 weeks only (P<0.001). |
| Maloney et al. [42] | Provided with PlayStation 2 console, dance AVG and 2 padded dance mats (child-led). Series of 1:1 coaching sessions for intervention sub-group (coach-led) Provided with handout about operation of the game and tips for improving skills. Children were provided with stickers and a camera to log progress. Staff were contactable for technical support. |
10 weeks. Prescribed 120 minutes of game play a week over at least 4 days. No restrictions around additional game play. 5 x 30 min coaching sessions for sub-group. |
Self-report log of total minutes played. Console logged number of songs. Mean AVG play of 89 ± 82 min.wk-1 (~74% compliance). |
| Mitchell et al. [43, 44] | Web-based game-like physical therapy (Mitii) delivered in the home using a computer with webcam. Physical activity games interspersed with upper-limb and visual-perceptual games. Included sequences of repetitive functional exercises (e.g. alternate lunging, squatting). Health-professional-led Therapists provided ad-hoc technical support and encouragement via telephone. |
20 weeks. Received 30 minutes daily for 6 days a week. Intensity based on baseline measurements and level of physical difficulty of games adjusted remotely by therapists, based on performance and feedback from participants and parents. | The number of participants regularly logging in steadily declined throughout the program, with 23% of participants logging in at the end of the intervention. Treatment dose automatically recorded by the program and monitored by therapists. Mean compliance of 54% of the potential dose. |
| Rubin et al. [45] | Parent-led curriculum of 96 preplanned PA sessions including playground games and AVGs. Provided with Wii Fit Plus and Just Dance 2 and 3 AVGs, and physical activity equipment (e.g. balls, hoops, hurdles, and cones). Regular telephone support for parents. |
24 weeks. 4 days a week. Aiming to progressively achieve 25–45+ minutes of PA a day. | Parent completed checklists for playground activities—Parent and child rated the level of enjoyment and difficulty of activities completed and total duration of the session. Overall intervention compliance was 86.7%. |
| Staiano et al. [47] | Provision of Kinect and Xbox 360 console with four AVGs, a step tracker (Fitbit Zip) and a standardized curriculum booklet (child-led). Regular telehealth (video) sessions with fitness coaches (coach-led) |
3 x AVGs sessions per week for 24 weeks. Curriculum guided increases in intensity and duration up to 60 mins per session. | Participants were supported by parents to record exergame play start and stop time for each challenge in the booklet. Compliance with prescribed duration—94.4% Compliance with prescribed frequency—88.5%. Steps/day recorded via a Fitbit Zip and reviewed by a fitness coach. Compliance to telehealth sessions was 92.7%. |
| Non-AVG interventions | |||
| Tuominen et al. [48, 49] | Movement to music video (focused on improving motor coordination, muscle strength and aerobic fitness) via DVD or YouTube. Parent- and child-led. |
8 weeks, instructed to complete videos every other day for 30 minutes | Parent completed diaries in week 1 and final week. Data not provided. |
AVG = active video game
AVG = active video game; IG1 = intervention group 1; IG2 = intervention group 2.
AVG = active video game