Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41792684›Full record

SynthesisBMC pediatrics2026

Effects of playing with active video games on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Roghayeh Molani-Gol, Fatemeh Hamedi-Kalajahi, Nafiseh Rahimi, Hossein Mashhadi Abdolahi, Zeinab Nikniaz, Leila Nikniaz

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Roghayeh Molani-GolStudent Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Fatemeh Hamedi-KalajahiStudent Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Nafiseh RahimiStudent Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Hossein Mashhadi AbdolahiTabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Zeinab NikniazLiver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Leila NikniazTabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. nikniazleila@gmail.com.

Funding

The Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 76660
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is increasing around the world, and childhood obesity is associated with health status in adulthood. Although active video games (AVGs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to increase physical activity in youth, evidence regarding their impact on obesity-related anthropometric outcomes and nutritional behaviors, particularly among overweight or obese children and adolescents, remains inconsistent. This systematic review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents.

methodA comprehensive systematic search was done on Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases without date restrictions until December 2025 by relevant keywords. All relevant original randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English that evaluated the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents were eligible for the present review. The quality of included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane Handbook. The meta-analysis was conducted using the random model effect and STATA software.

resultsIn total, 39 RCTs comprising 3232 children and adolescents were included in this review. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that playing with AVGs significantly reduced the zBMI (SMD = -0.033, 95% CI (-0.060, -0.007), p = 0.013), BMI (SMD = -0.744, 95% CI (-0.839, -0.649), p < 0.001), and body fat percentage (SMD = -0.516, 95% CI (-0.785, -0.248), p < 0.001) of children and adolescents, but not body weight (SMD = 0.269, 95% CI (-0.115, 0.654), p = 0.170) of them. Moreover, the subgroup analyses revealed that AVGs significantly decreased zBMI, BMI, and body fat percentage in the studies on adolescent and subjects aged > 11 years, with sample size ≥ 100, and intervention duration > 12 weeks. Furthermore, the RCTs reported that playing AVGs significantly increased energy expenditure among children and adolescents and could cause developing healthier consumption behaviors, but did not impact the food or energy intake of children and adolescents.

conclusionThe findings of the current review revealed that playing with AVGs could improve anthropometric indices especially among adolescents. However, more studies are required to confirm these achievements.

Indexed as

ExerciseFeeding BehaviorPediatric ObesityVideo GamesAdolescentAnthropometryBody Mass IndexChildHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicActive video gameAdolescentsAVGChildrenObesity

Identifiers

PMID41792684
PMCPMC13078001

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.