Metabolic Response to Playing Video Games

April 8, 2013 updated by: University College, London
The study is investigating the metabolic response to playing competitive non-violent and competitive violent video games. The primary hypothesis is that the metabolic response in the violent game group will differ from the other two groups, due to activation of the stress response. The investigators are using an experimental approach, whereby 72 young men are randomised to one of three groups: watching television (TV), playing the non-violent video game 'FIFA2013', or playing the violent video game 'Call of Duty'. Participants arrive fasted, and are given a standardised breakfast. After measurements of weight, height and waist girth, they then are assigned to one of the three groups. Baseline blood pressure, heart rate and appetite/mood data are collected, along with a saliva sample for measurement of the 'stress' hormone, cortisol. The investigators will collect these data again at 4 time-points during the one hour game-playing session. At the end of the study, the allow the participants half an hour of rest, during which they can choose from a variety of sweet or savoury snacks. The investigators will compare the data from the three groups, to test whether changes in blood pressure, heart rate and salivary cortisol, as well as snack consumption, are greater in the group playing the violent game.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Unknown

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Our study is investigating the metabolic response to playing competitive non-violent and competitive violent video games. Our primary hypothesis is that the metabolic response in the violent game group will differ from the other two groups, due to activation of the stress response.

We are using an experimental approach, whereby 72 young men are randomised to one of three groups: watching TV, playing the non-violent video game 'FIFA2013', or playing the violent video game 'Call of Duty'. All participants must already have some experience playing the two games, so that whichever group they are assigned to, they can comply with the protocol.

Participants arrive after an overnight fast, and are given a standardised breakfast (a muffin, approx 300 kcal, and a glass of water). After measurements of weight, height and waist girth, they then are assigned to one of the three groups, and allowed to familiarise themselves with the games console or TV. Baseline data on blood pressure (in triplicate, Accutor digital monitor), heart rate (Polar monitor) and appetite/mood (visual analogue scale) are collected, along with a saliva sample for measurement of the 'stress' hormone, cortisol, as well as satiety hormones sich as leptin and ghrelin. We will collect these data again at 4 time-points during the one hour game-playing session, by pausing the game or TV for 4 minutes at 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after the session starts.

At the end of the study, we allow the participants half an hour of rest, during which they can choose from a variety of sweet or savoury snacks or fruit, and several drinks.

We will compare the data from the three groups, to test whether changes in blood pressure, heart rate, appetite/mood and salivary hormones, as well as snack consumption, are greater in the group playing the violent game.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
72

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
      • London, United Kingdom, WC1N 1EH
        • Recruiting
        • UCL Institute of Child Health
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jonathan C Wells, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 30 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • BMI >25 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

  • smoker
  • weight change >3 kg in the previous three months
  • psychiatric disorder
  • uncontrolled hypertension
  • coronary heart disease, heart failure and central or peripheral arteriopathies
  • alcohol consumption > 21 units/week.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Watching TV
Watching TV (comedy, 'Friends') for 1 hour
Behavioral: Watching TV
Watching TV for 1 hour
Experimental: FIFA2013
Playing the video game 'FIFA2013' for 1 hour
Behavioral: FIFA2013
Playing FIFA2013 for 1 hour
Experimental: Call of Duty
Playing the video game 'Call of duty' for 1 hour
Behavioral: Call of Duty
Playing Call of Duty for 1 hour

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood pressure
Time Frame: Over the 90 minutes of the study
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Over the 90 minutes of the study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heart rate
Time Frame: Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Heart rate by Polar monitor
Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Appetite
Time Frame: Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Appetite by visual analogue scale, and by a test meal at the end of the study
Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Stress
Time Frame: Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Salivary cortisol
Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Satiety
Time Frame: Over the 90 minute duration of the study
Salivary ghrelin and leptin
Over the 90 minute duration of the study

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University College, London

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Newcastle University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Jonathan C Wells, PhD, UCL Institute of Child Health

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2013

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 8, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 11, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 12, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 9, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 8, 2013

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UCL-VG-001

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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