ArticleHealth psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association2014
Engagement, enjoyment, and energy expenditure during active video game play.
Article in Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 132 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of game-based interventions on cognitive performance in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of active video games on affective responses and mental health symptoms in young adults: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of Exergaming on Physical Activity in Overweight Individuals.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2016Pooled it
- Is exergaming a viable exercise option for obese black women?Contemporary clinical trials · 2025Trial
- Effect of Longitudinal Practice in Real and Virtual Environments on Motor Performance, Physical Activity and Enjoyment in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Prospective Randomized Crossover Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Effect of an Intervention Program Based on Active Video Games and Motor Games on Health Indicators in University Students: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Trial
- Trial
- Smartphone apps to improve fitness and increase physical activity among young people: protocol of the Apps for IMproving FITness (AIMFIT) randomized controlled trial.BMC public health · 2015Trial
- Trial
- Active Video Gaming Intervention in Adults With Mobility Impairments: Concurrent Mixed Methods Single-Arm Pilot Study.JMIR serious games · 2026Article
- Work engagement and its association with obesity and lifestyle factors in a large working population: a sex-stratified analysis.AIMS public health · 2026Article
- Active Video Games Training for Older Adults: Comparative Study of User Experience, Workload, Pleasure, and Intensity.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Playing for a Healthy Life: Integrating Mobile Exergames in Physical Education.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Combat sports in virtual reality for rehabilitation and disability adaptation: a mini-review.Frontiers in public health · 2025Review
- A social media game to increase physical activity among older adult women: protocol of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate CHALLENGE.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Comparison of enjoyment and energy expenditure of exergame with and without blood flow restriction in men and women.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- The Usability of a Touchpad Active Video Game Controller for Individuals With Impaired Mobility: Observational Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2023Article
- Usability of the GAIMplank Video Game Controller for People With Mobility Impairments: Observational Study.JMIR serious games · 2023Article
- Article
- Using the Behaviour Change Wheel Program Planning Model to Design Games for Health: Development Study.JMIR serious games · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectivePlaying active video games can produce moderate levels of physical activity, but little is known about how these games motivate players to be active. Several psychological predictors, such as perceptions of competence, control, and engagement, may be associated with enjoyment of a game, which has in turn been hypothesized to predict energy expended during play. However, these relationships have yet to be tested in active video games.
methodYoung adults aged 18-35 (N = 97, 50 female) < 300 pounds played a Dance Dance Revolution game for 13 minutes while energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry. Self-reported measures of engagement, perceived competence, perceived control, and enjoyment were taken immediately afterward. Mediation was analyzed using path analysis.
resultsA path model in which enjoyment mediated the effects of engagement, perceived competence, and perceived control on energy expenditure and BMI directly affected energy expenditure was an adequate fit to the data, χ(2)(1, N = 97) = .199, p = .655; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA < .001; 90% CI = .000-.206; p = .692. Enjoyment mediated the relationship between engagement and energy expenditure (indirect effect = .138, p = .028), but other mediated effects were not significant.
conclusionEngagement, enjoyment, and BMI affect energy expended during active video game play. Games that are more enjoyable and engaging may produce greater intensity activity. Developers, practitioners, and researchers should consider characteristics that influence these predictors when creating or recommending active video games.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.