Effectiveness of Metaverse Space-based Exercise Video Distribution in Young Adults

Effectiveness of Metaverse Space-based Exercise Video Distribution in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study explored whether exercise video distribution using metaverse space is effective in increasing physical activity among young people, along with mental health and locomotive function. This is a randomized parallel-group study. Participants will be assigned to 3 groups: a metaverse group, a YouTube group, and a control group. The metaverse group will receive eight 10-minute exercise videos each week with approximately 4 to 8 METs (metabolic equivalents of task) in the metaverse space to encourage exercise, and the YouTube group will receive access to the same exercise videos as the metaverse group. The control group was given no specific instructions.

The intervention period was 8 weeks, and physical activity and other items were measured before and after the intervention. These pre- and post-intervention measurements will be used to determine whether the delivery of exercise videos via Metaverse is effective in increasing physical activity in young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Exercise video distribution of Metaverse; Behavioral: Exercise video distribution of YouTube

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Japan
  • Hiroshima, Japan
    • Hiroshima University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• individuals aged 18-30 at the time of obtaining consent
• who owned a smartphone or computer and had internet access
• who did not belong to an exercise community, such as a sports club

Exclusion Criteria:

• individuals who had a history of a disease that prohibited exercise
• individuals whose physical activity was > 3000 metabolic equivalents of task (METs)/week
• pregnant (or possibly pregnant) women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control group
Experimental: metaverse group	Behavioral: Exercise video distribution of Metaverse; Participants received a 10-minute exercise video each week with a load of about 4 to 8 metabolic equivalents of task (METs) in the metaverse space, for eight videos delivered to encourage exercise.
Active Comparator: YouTube group	Behavioral: Exercise video distribution of YouTube; Participants view exercise videos with the same content as the metaverse group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Physical activity	The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form was used to measure the effect of an intervention.	The pre-measurement answered the most recent week, and the post-measurement responded to the next week after the 8 weeks intervention was finished.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Well-being	The Japanese version of the World Health Organization Five-Well-Being Index was used.	Pre- and post- 8 weeks intervention
Psychological distress	The 6-item Kessler Scale as a nonspecific psychological distress scale was used.	Pre- and post- 8 weeks intervention
Locomotive syndrome risk tests	We used the 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale.	Pre- and post- 8 weeks intervention
Social capital	The social capital questions consisted of 11 items related to civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity, with a perfect score of 11 and higher scores indicating stronger social connections.	Pre- and post- 8 weeks intervention
Quality of life (QOL)	The Japanese version of the 26-item World Health Organization QOL measure was used to assess QOL.	Pre- and post- 8 weeks intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hiroshima University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Yukio Urabe, PhD, Hiroshima University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 13, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 11, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): February 10, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 6, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 24, 2023
• First Posted (Estimated): August 31, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): August 31, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 24, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: C2022-0044

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: There are no plans to make Individual Participant Data (IPD) available to other researchers.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No