Evaluating Physical and Perceptual Responses to Exergames in Chinese Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Patrick W. C. Lau²  Yan Liang²  Erica Y. Lau³  Choung-Rak Choi¹  Chang-Gyun Kim⁴  Myung-Soo Shin¹ 

[1] Sports Management, Division of Sport Science, College of Science and Technology, Konkuk University, ASI KR KS001, Chungju, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; E-Mail:;Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; E-Mail:;Division of Sports Science, College of Arts and Design, Gachon University, ASI KR KS009, Seongnam, Korea; E-Mail:

关键词: exergame;    energy expenditure;    heart rate;    physical exertion;    overweight;    children;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120404018

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO₂, and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Methods: Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO₂ and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Results: Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05–5.14, VO₂ (mL/kg/min) from 9.98–25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05–149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO₂reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion: Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children’s physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.