Active Games: Increasing the Attractiveness of Active Video Game Play for Youth

April 8, 2025 updated by: USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
The purpose of this study is to look at the effects of active video game play on youth physical activity.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

Child obesity is increasing worldwide and has major implications for health, both during youth and later in life. Physical activity declines sharply during adolescence, making ages 8-12 a critical period to encourage healthy exercise habits. Increased childhood weight has been linked to sedentary leisure time activities, such as video games. "Active video games" (AVGs) are now being studied as a method to increase children's interest and participation in physical activity. Although research indicates that AVG play may lead to energy expenditure comparable to light/ moderate physical activity, children prefer sedentary video games to AVGs and often find AVGs boring. Children do not play AVGs as often or with the same intensity as traditional games/sports and lose interest in them; efforts must be made to increase the appeal of AVGs so they are competitive with sedentary video games. This study will examine whether children's motivation to engage in AVG play may be increased with greater autonomy, as well as whether increasing children's motivation to play AVGs also increases their motivation to play sedentary video games.

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 (Actual)

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.
49

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 Locations

  • United States
    • North Dakota
      • Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States, 58203
        • USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

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

8 years to 12 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • BMI between 5th and 95th percentile

Exclusion Criteria:

  • taking any medications that affect energy use or eating
  • actively trying to lose weight
  • has any medical conditions that prevent him/her from safely joining in physical activity
  • exercises more than three times per week for one hour at a time
  • does not engage in more than 14 hours per week of screen-based activities
  • does not own an active video game system
  • plays active video games more than 30 minutes per 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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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: High Autonomy
Children will choose active video games for use during the study.
Other: High Autonomy
Children will be given two active video games (AVGs) of their choice. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will be allowed to select their next game.
Experimental: Low Autonomy
Children will be assigned active video games for use during the study.
Other: Low Autonomy
Children will be given their most-liked active video game (AVG) from the baseline relative reinforcing value assessment. After two weeks, a researcher will monitor progress and exchange the AVGs and sedentary games. At each exchange, children will receive a pre-determined game.

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
Change in relative reinforcing value (RRV) of active video games
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
RRV of active video games will be assessed by evaluating the number of responses (mouse button presses) a participant is willing to complete to gain access to active video game play or an alternative (sedentary video game or traditional active play).
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

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
Change in minutes of physical activity, as assessed by activity tracker
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Minutes of physical activity will be assessed by having participants wear an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days (minimum 10 hours per day) on the right hip.
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Change in minutes spent in traditional active play, active and sedentary video game play, and other sedentary screen-based activities
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Changes in minutes spent in traditional active play, active and sedentary video game play, and other sedentary screen-based activities (computer, phone TV), will be assessed by 24-hour activity recalls which participants will fill out for the prior day's activities for two weekend and two weekdays.
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Beverage and snack food consumption
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Average weekly intake of certain foods and beverages will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses of the Beverage and Snack Questionnaire (BSQ).
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Children's exercise self-efficacy
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Changes in children's exercise self-efficacy will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses of the Children's Self-Perception of Adequacy in and Predilection of Physical Activity Scale (CSAPPA).
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for physical activity
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Changes in children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for physical activity will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise, 2nd Edition (BREQ-2).
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for active video game play
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Changes in children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for active video game play will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise, 2nd Edition (BREQ-2), modified to measure active video game play.
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for sedentary video game play
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 6, Week 10
Changes in children's intrinsic, external, interrogated, identified, introjected and amotivation for sedentary video game play will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise, 2nd Edition (BREQ-2), modified to measure sedentary video game play.
Week 0, Week 6, Week 10

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.
USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

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: James N Roemmich, PhD, USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

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 (Actual)

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.
November 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

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.
May 4, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
May 4, 2018

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).
October 19, 2016

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.
October 19, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

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.
October 20, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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 11, 2025

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, 2025

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.
April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • GFHNRC406

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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