ReviewJMIR serious games2026
Effects of Active Video Games on Cardiometabolic Health in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Review in JMIR serious games, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Cardiometabolic risk factors emerging during childhood and adolescence may persist into adulthood and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although physical activity improves cardiometabolic health, maintaining regular participation remains challenging. Active video games (AVG), which combine physical activity with video game enjoyment, may provide an engaging approach to promote physical activity participation. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of AVG on cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents and to explore potential moderators of these effects. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched from database inception to July 2026. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating AVG in children and adolescents aged 4-18 years were included, with comparisons against no intervention, sedentary video games, or regular physical activity. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate pooled effects. Subgroup analyses explored potential moderators. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool (RoB 2; Cochrane), sensitivity analyses examined robustness, and small-study effects were evaluated when feasible. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Results: A total of 14 RCTs involving 942 children and adolescents were included. AVG were associated with a small but significant reduction in BMI (Hedges Conclusions: This review extends previous evidence by providing an updated RCT-only evaluation of a broader pediatric population and a wider range of cardiometabolic outcomes. AVG were associated with small reductions in BMI and systolic blood pressure (SBP), although evidence for other cardiometabolic outcomes remains uncertain. By clarifying both potential benefits and remaining evidence gaps, this review provides a broader basis for future research and intervention development. AVG may serve as an engaging adjunct to support physical activity participation among children and adolescents.
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Registered trials
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