Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Sep 1, 2022
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 1, 2022 - Oct 27, 2022
Date Accepted: May 13, 2023
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Comparison of exergames versus conventional exercises on the health benefits of older adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
ABSTRACT
Background:
Conventional exercise (CEs) can improve the health benefits of older adults, but the long-term exercise adherence rate is low. As an emerging, stimulating and self-motivating strategy, exergames (EGs) is defined as the combination of exercises and games that users must play games through their physical actions. It can promote older adults to exercise, but the comparison of the health effects of EGs versus CEs on physical function (PF) and mental health (cognitive function (CF), depression, and quality of life (QOL)) in older adults remains controversial.
Objective:
To compare the health benefits of EGs versus CEs on the PF and mental health of older adults.
Methods:
A comprehensive search was conducted from the earliest available date to April 2022 in the following six databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) available in English and explored the effects of EGs versus CEs on physical function and mental health were included. Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42022322734.
Results:
We included nine studies consisting of 637 participants. The results showed EGs versus CEs have no significant differences in physical function (P = .20; SMD=0.24, 95% CI −0.13-0.61) and cognitive function (P = .62; SMD= −0.09, 95% CI -0.26-0.44).
Conclusions:
Our findings show that there is no significant difference between EGs and CEs in improving the PF and CF of older adults. Future studies need to compare the effects of EGs versus CEs on CF according to cognitive status, quantify the ' dose-effect ' relationship between EGs and health benefits, and compare the effects of different types and devices of EGs on the health benefits of older adults. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO CRD42022322734; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php? RecordID =322734
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