Effects of providing access to a cycling exergaming platform on cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health in adolescents: a randomised, controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract Insufficient physical activity (PA) among adolescents has deleterious consequences for their health. Exergaming, which combines exercise with gaming, is enjoyable, but the long-term effects of exergaming on adolescent health remain poorly understood. In this randomised, controlled trial, we examined the impact of 24-week access to a cycling exergaming platform versus a non-intervention control group on peak oxygen uptake (V̇O 2peak ), PA levels, and other cardiometabolic outcomes in healthy 12-18-year-olds not engaged in regular endurance training. Twenty-nine participants were randomly assigned to either the exergaming ( n  = 13) or control ( n  = 16) group. There was no statistically significant effect of the 24-week intervention on V̇O 2peak (2.4 mL·kg −1 ·min −1 [95% CI, -1.6 to 6.5, p  = 0.23]). Still, compared to the control group, the exergaming group showed improvements in BMI (-1.3 kg/m 2 [95% CI, -0.4 to -2.2, p = 0.007]), body fat mass (-3.6 kg [95% CI, -1.1 to -6.1, p = 0.007]), and other adiposity measures. Providing adolescents not engaged in endurance training with access to an exergaming platform did not increase V̇O 2peak but did improve body composition. However, the limited sample size, the few exergaming sessions completed, and the underrepresentation of female participants limit the broader applicability of our findings. Trial registration : NCT03663699.