Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Aging
Date Submitted: Jun 10, 2025
Date Accepted: Sep 13, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
The effectiveness of mHealth-based gamified interventions on physical activity in older adults: A systematic review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Global aging presents significant socio-economic and health challenges, particularly for older adults who face an increased risk of chronic diseases and reduced physical activity levels. Although physical activity is crucial for maintaining health, most elderly individuals do not meet the recommended guidelines. Gamification and mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer innovative solutions to motivate physical activity; however, research focusing on older adults is limited, especially regarding the effectiveness and sustainability of such interventions.
Objective:
To synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of mHealth-based gamified interventions for improving physical activity in older adults.
Methods:
This systematic review followed PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines and analyzed studies from several online databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, and Wiley, covering relevant literature from their inception up to May 2025. Inclusion criteria focused on gamified mHealth interventions for adults aged 60+, excluding serious games. Quality assessment was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute standards, with data extracted on study design, gamification elements, and outcomes such as step counts and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
Results:
Gamified interventions significantly increased daily step counts and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among older adults. Goal setting and rewards were the most frequently components. The combined use of mobile and wearable devices offered greater flexibility and accessibility. However, the heterogeneity in study designs, small sample sizes, and lack of long-term follow-up studies limited the generalizability of the findings. Half of the studies employed a theoretical framework, suggesting that there is a gap in systematic design approaches.
Conclusions:
mHealth-based gamification shows promise in enhancing physical activity among older adults. However, future research should address scalability, theoretical integration, and caregiver involvement to improve sustainability and inclusivity. This review highlights the need for tailored, theory-driven interventions that bridge the gap between technology and the health needs of the elderly. Clinical Trial: This study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; registration number CRD420251056689).
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