Gaming Technology to Encourage Healthy Weight and Activity in Youth (GameSquad)

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Childhood Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Exergaming Condition

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02560493

PBRC 2015-037

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of the proposed randomized controlled trial is to test the efficacy of exergaming (i.e. video gaming that involves physical activity) to reduce adiposity in overweight and obese children.

Full description

The GAMESQUAD study is a 6-month, 2-arm randomized controlled trial among 46 overweight/obese children (aged 10 to 12 years) assigned to: 1) 3 hours/week of in-home exergaming or 2) a control group. An innovative aspect is the inclusion of a fitness trainer who will regularly video chat with the participant and virtually monitor gameplay. The study will advance the field by: 1) establishing the efficacy of exergaming to reduce BMIz among overweight and obese children and 2) demonstrating the potential of exergaming to reduce body fat and improve children's cardiovascular health.

Enrollment: 46 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• BMI percentile > or equal to 85 on the CDC growth chart
• Participating household has a high-speed internet connection
• At least 1 family member or friend who is willing to exergame in the home with the participant for 3 hours/week

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant
• Impairments that prevent normal ambulation
• Previous history, or current symptoms of, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal injury, or epileptic seizures

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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46 participants in 2 patient groups

Control Condition

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants randomly assigned to the control condition will be asked to continue their usual physical activity habits and will not interact with the intervention staff.

Exergaming Condition

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomly assigned to the exergaming condition will participate in a 6 month exergaming intervention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exergaming Condition