Talk:Fitness game

Introductory info seems inappropriate
I think the statement about whether or not research supports exergames as being successful is an empirical question that changes over time. I think there probably evidence on either side, and so the sentence should be deleted. This is a major change though, so I'll leave it to the consideration of a more consistent editor of this page. MicheleJackson (talk) 00:40, 28 February 2014 (UTC)

Untitled
The concept is extant and definitely notable, what with DDR, the NES pad, the Wii and other things. Whether or not it should be called "exergaming" instead of "Video games and exercise" or something is another issue. --Kizor 19:37, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

I'm not really seeing the link between virtual reality and exergaming. The former subject has its own page and is user experience led instead of exercise led. I can't find references to the products cited on the Autodesk entry either. Is this page the best place, or should the accolade be left with the Atari Puffer? July 10, 2007.

The line in the History section about some video service called VideoJug may point to a video that is relevant to the topic, however I'm not sure that telling the reader about the video service relevant. It looks a bit like it is just there as a commercial promotion for the video service. Wouldn't it be better to put it in the external links section, if at all? CaveFrog (talk) 13:41, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Please do not put multiple links to product sites on Wikipedia. Wowowwiki (talk) 18:52, 20 July 2008 (UTC)

Foot Craz dates
The Foot Craz date in the article is 1987, sourced from Bogost, which would mean the Power Pad came a year before the Foot Craz, which seems unlikely (the Power Pad and its games seem more advanced). Here's an ad for the Foot Craz that has a 1983 copyright date: http://www.atarimania.com/pubs/hi_res/video_jogger_video_reflex_flyer.jpg. Not sure what to do about editing to avoid original research as to the dating. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.48.200.114 (talk) 03:53, 5 March 2023 (UTC)

Where does the term 'Exergaming' come from?
Is it an academic term, an industry term, a marketing term? This article is the first time I've heard it used, Google gives 51,100 hits so some people are obviously using it, but this article name remains unsourced. Rubiscous (talk) 01:44, 2 April 2009 (UTC)

The term is a phrase coined by the media and as such has no sponsored credibility. It has been mentioned in various publications and is synonymous with the phrase "Active Gaming", which is the term for exercise video games favoured in academic research. Wowowwiki (talk) 22:39, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

Rubbish
term is a marketing neolog. so much OR it hurts. DELETE! Jw2035 (talk) 21:44, 7 August 2009 (UTC)
 * The term has been used in a number of academic studies which were not funded by a company involved in exergaming, suggested that this is indeed more than marketing jargon. Sillyfolkboy (talk) (edits) Join WikiProject Athletics!  08:13, 8 August 2009 (UTC)
 * citations? until you put them up, it's going back for deletion Jw2035 (talk) 16:04, 8 August 2009 (UTC)
 * I already did here. Sillyfolkboy (talk) (edits) Join WikiProject Athletics!  16:38, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Lede
A couple of issues: Autarch (talk) 20:13, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
 * This link no longer works.
 * The sentence The genre has been credited with upending the stereotype of gaming as a sedentary activity, and promoting an active lifestyle. doesn't seem to be backed up by the remaining source.

Citatons
Where are the citations for the Children/Adults section?Wgfcrafty (talk) 13:49, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20150905083215/http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/exercise-lose-weight-with-exergaming to http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/exercise-lose-weight-with-exergaming

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External links modified
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I have just modified 3 external links on Exergaming. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Corrected formatting/usage for http://www.exergamefitness.com/pdf/The%20Rhetoric%20of%20Exergaming.pdf
 * Added tag to http://www.1up.com/news/health-games-generate-2-billion
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20090911132415/http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-use-video-games-to-keep-fit to http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-use-video-games-to-keep-fit
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20110708034635/http://exerlearning.blogspot.com/2009/06/canada-connects-physical-activity-to.html to http://exerlearning.blogspot.com/2009/06/canada-connects-physical-activity-to.html

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promotional content about health
the following is mostly unsourced. what is sourced, is sourced mostly to primary sources or popular media which is not OK per MEDRS.

This is exactly what bad content about health in WP looks like


 * Effectiveness

In order to better understand exergaming's relationship with physical activity, laboratory studies have compared exergames to both traditional seated video games and other physical activities, for example, treadmill walking. Consistent evidence demonstrates exergaming requires more energy and has the potential to raise heart rate in comparison to traditional seated video games and rest. Overall, most exergames are equivalent to light-to-moderate activity for both adults and children. For example, Electronic Arts commissioned a 2010 study by the University of Wisconsin that found that EA Sports Active passed fitness guidelines for an "effective workout" put forth by the American College of Sports Medicine. However, while the Wii has been seen as being more physically demanding than sedentary game consoles, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that while playing the Wii uses significantly more energy than playing sedentary computer games, the energy used when playing active Wii games is not of high enough intensity to contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise in children. Based on a systematic review on active video games for youth, none of the games elicited an average energy expenditure above 6 MET threshold for vigorous energy expenditure.
 * In the lab

When used at intermediate or high intensity, exergaming can improve fitness.

Energy expenditure during exergames differs only slightly from other traditional light-to-moderate intensity physical activities. Most exergames elicit energy expenditures between light and moderate intensities, although in some studies a ‘sizeable percentage' of players have performed at vigorous activity levels. Exergames which only require upper body movement typically result in energy expenditures equivalent to light physical activity, while lower and whole body movement games provide activity of at least a moderate intensity.
 * Children
 * Energy expenditure

Several studies have been done to see what types of exercise gamers get while playing these types of games and to see if children really benefit from the activities. Over all the research indicates exergaming has the potential to increase physical activity which is always a benefit. Anytime physical activity is an improvement over sedentary time on the couch. Exergames increase heart rate compared to resting. Those which require whole/lower body movement produce a greater increase in heart rate than those which use only upper body movements. Different games requiring similar movements for game play do not necessarily have the same impact on heart rate. For example, games played on dance mats have increased heart rates to levels similar to those of moderate and even vigorous intensities; whereas games played using a balance board have produced heart rates less than that of a brisk walking pace, although both require lower body movement. It has been argued that heart rate is not a good proxy for energy expenditure for exergames as several studies have shown heart rate to increase for sedentary video games. Few exergaming studies have examined actual changes in body composition over time. Instead, estimates have been made based on laboratory game play. For example, it has been suggested that if exergaming were to take place at a similar intensity outside the laboratory, children would have the potential to lose 2.5 kg-6 kg over the course of a year with only 15–30 minutes of game play per day. Children and young people report enjoying Wii Fit activities more than inactive games and treadmill exercise. Exergaming can enhance cognition, immediately after the activity. This has been shown in children and adolescents and seems to be dependent on the factor that the Exergame is not only challenging for your body but also for your brain.
 * Heart rate
 * Body composition and BMI
 * Psychological outcomes
 * Cognition

The evidence in adults is less abundant than in children. Studies tend to have only a small number of participants, which makes it difficult to generalise the findings to the whole population. Exergaming provides a form of light-to-moderate physical activity for adults. Wii Boxing has been shown to produce similar energy expenditure to a self-selected brisk walking pace, while Wii Aerobics results in lower energy expenditure. In general, exergames have less of an effect on energy expenditure than playing the actual sport. Energy expenditure does not increase by adding active elements to traditional games. For example, adding specialist motion sensing controllers to play shooting games was no more effective in increasing energy expenditure than using traditional hand held controllers. Exergamers experience a greater increase in heart rate after 30 minutes of Wii Fit's Free Run than treadmill walking (at 3.5 mph), while Wii Boxing produces a heart rate similar to that of a self-selected brisk walking pace. In contrast, self-selected brisk treadmill walking results in a higher heart rate than what is obtained by participating in Wii Aerobics, Tennis or Baseball. Research shows changes to psychological wellbeing from taking part in exergaming are mixed. In older women, positive changes to self-perception and social and psychological wellbeing have been noted after six weeks of game play. Alternatively, measurements of wellbeing decreased after a single session of Wii Fit Free Run compared with treadmill walking in young adults. These young adults did however perceive playing Wii Fit to be more intense than treadmill walking. Both younger and older adults rate exergaming as more enjoyable than inactive gaming and treadmill walking. There is significant evidence across multiple random controlled trials relating exergaming to improved cognitive functioning in healthy older adults (with a mean age of 69), and attenuated deterioration or improvement in adults with cognitive impairment from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. As such, exergaming has been presented as a feasible strategy to maintaining health and independence in older age. In healthy older adults there is some evidence that dance exergames can improve mental health (e.g. Dance! Don't Fall ), improve measures of physical performance, such as the narrow walk time test and self-reported balance confidence. Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests the Nintendo Wii can be used as part of a falls rehabilitation programme. Studies have demonstrated increases in dynamic balance, a reduction in Timed Up and Go scores, which measures mobility, and improvements in static balance after Wii usage. A pilot study of a Kinect exergaming programme for the elderly found similar improvements in balance and overall fitness. Social exergames tailored to the elderly may encourage increased exercise. A long-term study found that elderly patients introduced to exergaming were more likely to have continued their exercise programme than those on a traditional exercise programme when evaluated three years later.
 * Adults
 * Energy expenditure
 * Heart rate
 * Psychological outcomes
 * Cognition in older adults
 * Falls and balance in older adults

However, most of these studies tend to be case studies. Additionally, few exergames have been designed specifically for elderly, and we lack knowledge about the characteristics of the movements elicited by exergames and thereby about their potential to train functions important for fall risk reduction. Moreover, exergames provide better user experience if games are developed specifically for older adults. More robust evidence is needed to warrant the inclusion of exergaming in falls prevention programmes. Upper extremity dysfunction results from a variety of different diseases and disorders. The degree of dysfunction ranges from the subject's self-reported pain, weakness, and impairment of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand, to larger symptoms such as debilitating post-stroke. Multiple studies have chosen to incorporate the Wii into both movement therapy and exercise regimens for patients displaying these symptoms, in order to test whether the use of Wii's motion controller will benefit these patients through a kind of gaming rehabilitation. A study done by Hsu et al. examined the effect of Wii bowling on shoulder motion range. Elderly long-term care patients with upper extremity debilities supplemented their standard exercise regimen by playing Wii Sports bowling with the affected arm for 20 minutes at least twice a week, for one month. This resulted in an overall improvement of patients' active range of shoulder motion, as well as better scores in the modified PACES (Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale) and the NHPPT (Nursing Home Physical Performance Test). Research has also shown a positive effect from Wii Sports movement therapy for stroke patients. Stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction underwent movement therapy consisting of monitored, intense Wii Sports gaming for two weeks. These patients displayed improved functional use of their dominantly affected arm and hand, along with an increase in joint range of motion. Furthermore, significant clinical improvement on test metrics such as the WMFT (Wolf Motor Function Test) and MAL-QOM (Motor Activity Log Quality of Movement) suggests that the skills gained from Wii-based movement therapy are transferable to daily-living activities. A systematic 2016 literature review found that exergaming showed promise as a means of rehabilitation or exercise for those with neurological disabilities, but concluded that more study was necessary.
 * Upper extremity dysfunction
 * Neurological disabilities

One primary goal of exergaming is to get children or adults "off the couch" and more active. Laboratory studies showing brief increases in physical fitness as a result of exergaming may not translate to real world improvements. A 2013 systematic review of randomised controlled trials and before/after studies of exergames beyond the lab showed that exergames are associated with a better outcome in BMI/weight, with some evidence for improvements in VO2 max and adherence to exercise. The review called for more research on the mechanisms that make exergames effective.
 * Beyond the lab

Individual studies vary in their findings. One study of children in actual homes over an extended period did not show lasting changes to their exercise habits. This study revealed "no evidence that children receiving the active video games were more active in general, or at any time, than children receiving the inactive video games." Exercise physiologist Anthony Barnett suggested the results of the study are predictable. He said that children compensate for the increased activity of exergaming by reducing their exercise in other parts of their lives, resulting in no net gain. When designing interventions that incorporate exergaming, guidelines on frequency and duration of usage should be given to participants. A 2011 literature review found that "[t]here is still not enough evidence to conclude which design principles work for what purposes," but concluded that patient input seemed to be an important factor in the success of exergaming interventions.

Benefits of exercise on mental ability and productivity are in the early stages of research, but indications from using Gamercize with a computer have been reported as providing a 17% productivity improvement. Combining cardiovascular exercise and balance practice has been shown to increase academic success among students in grades K-12. According to the 2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on PhysicalActivity for Children and Youth, children who are physically active perform better in school than those who are not. Interestingly, academic performance improves even when academic learning time is reduced to allow time for physical activity.

A different question is whether exergaming effects beliefs about and attitudes toward physical activity. For example, in a 6-week program incorporated into 5th grade physical education lessons in Singapore, children who were exposed to threat-framed messages about physical activity and who also played Wii exergames developed more positive attitudes and higher perceived behavioral control than children who were only exposed to the messages. The effectiveness of maintaining interest in exercise using traditional fitness machines has been examined with Gamercize and found to be six times more sustainable than exercise alone.


 * Injury

After the Wii was released, there were several cases of injury related to using the Wii, often dubbed Wiiitis. Injuries can be like tennis elbow. Players were cautioned that even the level of exercise needed to use the Wii could cause injury.

-- Jytdog (talk) 16:38, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

Discussion

 * Why have you titled this section "promotional content about health"? I don't see much promotional material there. I see lots of good studies published in decent journals that fail MEDRS because they are primary research.
 * A couple of the references given are secondary research, so I'm going to re-include those in the article. Bondegezou (talk) 16:58, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * If you want to restore stuff based on MEDRS refs that is fine. How can you not find "For example, Electronic Arts commissioned a 2010 study by the University of Wisconsin that found that EA Sports Active passed fitness guidelines for an "effective workout" put forth by the American College of Sports Medicine" to be promotional?  Oy.  This is all full of OR content that fails V  - and takes this whole thing way more seriously than MEDRS sources do -- that in itself is selling validity of the whole bucket of "exergaming" and by violating NPOV this way, it becomes PROMO.  This is the same way that dietary supplement companies abuse "science" to sell their snake oil. Jytdog (talk) 17:08, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * , thank you for editing your comment above. It was rather OTT originally.
 * I have added back in three references: McMurray et al. (2015) is a meta-analysis, Stanmore et al. (2017) is a systematic review, and Rosly et al. (2016) is a systematic review. They all pass MEDRS.
 * Most of the material you removed passes WP:V (albeit not the tougher standard of WP:MEDRS), WP:NPOV and WP:PROMO. What you removed was a reasonably good narrative review, largely built on primary studies. So, it fails MEDRS, but I think you are being harsh to call it "promotional". This is not snake oil and we have the systematic reviews to show that. Bondegezou (talk) 17:14, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * , I see you have now reverted my re-inclusion of material. How do McMurray et al. (2015), Stanmore et al. (2017) Rosly et al. (2016) fail MEDRS? I won't comment on Douglass-Bonner & Potts as I'm Potts. Bondegezou (talk) 17:16, 20 February 2018 (UTC)


 * The following is exactly the kind of dreck that people marketing dietary supplements add to WP everyday:


 * "A systematic 2016 literature review found that exergaming showed promise as a means of rehabilitation or exercise for those with neurological disabilities, but concluded that more study was necessary."


 * "the "shows promise...more research needed" thing is horseshit. MEDMOS specifically warns against this, because the phrase is used exactly in this way. We generally summarize sources with these kinds of findings by saying things like "As of Y date, there was not good evidence that X is useful for Z" We do not "sell it" - we do not propagate hype. Jytdog (talk) 17:20, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * So, you do agree with me that that paper meets MEDRS? Good. OK, then why don't you restore the citation to Rosly but re-word it along those lines? And can we return the other two papers I mention above? Bondegezou (talk) 17:31, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * That is exactly what I was doing while you writing back that to me, and i have already done it. Slow down. I get it that this is an area of research for you. Jytdog (talk) 17:42, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Am now looking at the next paragraph... Jytdog (talk) 17:42, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I am amused by your comment that I should "Slow down" after this! Thank you for re-working the text for Rosly et al. I've had another go at that. What about Stanmore et al. and McMurray et al.? Bondegezou (talk) 17:50, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Yes this kind of promotional editing upsets me. Am trying to manage that. Sorry. Jytdog (talk) 17:58, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

Systematic reviews in this area
I've been looking through the literature in order to find some better references for this article:


 * Tahmosybayat et al. (2017): "Exergaming has been shown to be an effective tool to improve postural control (PC) in older community-dwelling individuals. [...] Exergaming is a potential alternative to PC training, although still in its infancy. Strong and well-designed RCTs are needed, targeting specific populations aged over 60 years."


 * Joronen et al. (2016): "Exergaming was found to have some positive effects on self-concept, situational interest and motivation, enjoyment, psychological and social well-being, symptomatology and different learning experiences. However, two studies reported no effect on self-efficacy, and one study showed no intervention effect on self-esteem. The only follow-up study indicated that the enjoyment effect lasted for a few months."


 * Ogawa et al. (2016): "in older adults [...] Current evidence supports that exergaming improves cognitive function and dual-task function, which potentially leads to fall prevention. However, it is unclear whether exergaming, which involves both cognitive input and physical exercise, has additional benefits compared with traditional physical exercise alone."


 * Barry et al. (2014): "In conclusion, exergaming is an emerging tool to help rehabilitate motor skills in people with PD [Parkinson's disease]. Although we were able to establish that exergaming is feasible in people with PD, more research is needed to establish its safety and clinical effectiveness, particularly in the home. The use of commercial games may be too difficult for some people with PD and exergames tailored specifically to the rehabilitation needs and capabilities of people with PD are required for optimal efficacy, adherence and safety."


 * Harris et al. (2015): "Our findings suggest that exergaming might be an appropriate therapeutic tool for improving balance and postural control in older adults, but more ­large-scale trials are needed to determine if the same is true for people with IPD [idiopathic Parkinson's disease]."

More later if I get time. Bondegezou (talk) 17:29, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

Another:


 * Li et al. (2016): "The study has not only supported the positive effect of exergames on alleviating depression, but also provided many theoretical and practical implications for health professionals and police makers." Bondegezou (talk) 17:34, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Thanks, those are all OK (frontiers is meh and I avoid it as much as possible). They all say pretty much what one would expect.  "Sounds reasonable but we don't have great evidence that it is particularly effective or safe". Jytdog (talk) 17:50, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I think that's a poor summary of what they say. They do tend to say that this is early days for the field and they offer various caveats (e.g. lack of long-term follow-up), but they also review plenty of studies showing positive effects. Bondegezou (talk) 17:51, 20 February 2018 (UTC)
 * People constantly batter the curcumin article writing "THE REVIEW SAYS IT HAS PROMISE TO PREVENT CANCER!". Not a single one of the papers above is confident to draw strong conclusions which is why they all say "more research is needed". What the hell man.Jytdog (talk) 17:56, 20 February 2018 (UTC)


 * Bondegezou you apparently are all in a frenzy such that you cannot take the five seconds it takes to autoformat a reference much less summarize it properly. I will leave this for today and swing back later when you have had time to make this worth some effort. Right now it is sloppy garbage and you can do better than this, i know. Jytdog (talk) 18:07, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

New review
A recent new review:. May be of use to the article. Bondegezou (talk) 16:06, 23 March 2020 (UTC)