ArticleJMIR serious games2014
Just a fad? Gamification in health and fitness apps.
Article in JMIR serious games, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 143 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Primary Care Intervention Using the NintendoTM Wii Console to Improve Balance and Decrease Falls in the Elderly (EWii)
Gamifying Patient's Personal Data Validation and Completion in a Personal Health Record
Effects of an Adapted Physical Activity With an Interactive Gaming Platform on Fall Apprehension and Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
143 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Leveling up immunization: a systematic review of gamification interventions to improve Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Gamified Health Promotion in Schools: The Integration of Neuropsychological Aspects and CBT-A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- mHealth-Based Gamification Interventions Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the HIV Prevention and Care Continuum: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Pooled it
- Providing Human Support for the Use of Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Meta-review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- The Effects of mHealth-Based Gamification Interventions on Participation in Physical Activity: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2022Pooled it
- The role of motivation factors in exergame interventions for fall prevention in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Pooled it
- Conceptual Ambiguity Surrounding Gamification and Serious Games in Health Care: Literature Review and Development of Game-Based Intervention Reporting Guidelines (GAMING).Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Gamification of health professions education: a systematic review.Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice · 2021Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Mobile Apps to Promote Health and Manage Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Pooled it
- Trends in Persuasive Technologies for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in artificial intelligence · 2020Pooled it
- Gamification for health promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques in smartphone apps.BMJ open · 2016Pooled it
- Strengthening cancer prevention in european schools: a randomized controlled trial of digital interventions in adolescents: the SUNRISE program.BMC public health · 2026Trial
- Assessing the Feasibility and Acceptability of Virtual Reality for Remote Group-Mediated Physical Activity in Older Adults: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR formative research · 2024Trial
- Improving Children's Lifestyle and Quality of Life through Synchronous Online Education: The Nutritional Adventures School-Based Program.Nutrients · 2023Trial
- Impact of Pediatric Mobile Game Play on Healthy Eating Behavior: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Trial
- Pilot phase of an internet-based RCT of HIVST targeting MSM and transgender people in England and Wales: advertising strategies and acceptability of the intervention.BMC infectious diseases · 2019Trial
- Exercise Videogames, Physical Activity, and Health: Wii Heart Fitness: A Randomized Clinical Trial.American journal of preventive medicine · 2019Trial
- Combining Technology and Research to Prevent Scald Injuries (the Cool Runnings Intervention): Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2018Trial
- Trial
- "Active Team" a social and gamified app-based physical activity intervention: randomised controlled trial study protocol.BMC public health · 2017Trial
83 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGamification has been a predominant focus of the health app industry in recent years. However, to our knowledge, there has yet to be a review of gamification elements in relation to health behavior constructs, or insight into the true proliferation of gamification in health apps.
objectiveThe objective of this study was to identify the extent to which gamification is used in health apps, and analyze gamification of health and fitness apps as a potential component of influence on a consumer's health behavior.
methodsAn analysis of health and fitness apps related to physical activity and diet was conducted among apps in the Apple App Store in the winter of 2014. This analysis reviewed a sample of 132 apps for the 10 effective game elements, the 6 core components of health gamification, and 13 core health behavior constructs. A regression analysis was conducted in order to measure the correlation between health behavior constructs, gamification components, and effective game elements.
resultsThis review of the most popular apps showed widespread use of gamification principles, but low adherence to any professional guidelines or industry standard. Regression analysis showed that game elements were associated with gamification (P<.001). Behavioral theory was associated with gamification (P<.05), but not game elements, and upon further analysis gamification was only associated with composite motivational behavior scores (P<.001), and not capacity or opportunity/trigger.
conclusionsThis research, to our knowledge, represents the first comprehensive review of gamification use in health and fitness apps, and the potential to impact health behavior. The results show that use of gamification in health and fitness apps has become immensely popular, as evidenced by the number of apps found in the Apple App Store containing at least some components of gamification. This shows a lack of integrating important elements of behavioral theory from the app industry, which can potentially impact the efficacy of gamification apps to change behavior. Apps represent a very promising, burgeoning market and landscape in which to disseminate health behavior change interventions. Initial results show an abundant use of gamification in health and fitness apps, which necessitates the in-depth study and evaluation of the potential of gamification to change health behaviors.
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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.