Feasibility and Effect of the Exergame BOOSTH Introduced to Improve Physical Activity and Health in Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Gabrielle Ten Velde; Guy Plasqui; Maartje Willeboordse; Bjorn Winkens; Anita Vreugdenhil

doi:10.2196/24035

Feasibility and Effect of the Exergame BOOSTH Introduced to Improve Physical Activity and Health in Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Gabrielle Ten Velde^*, Guy Plasqui, Maartje Willeboordse, Bjorn Winkens, Anita Vreugdenhil

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known beneficial health effects of physical activity (PA), the majority of Dutch primary school children do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. Although there is growing evidence on the effectiveness of exergames for PA in children, there is limited evidence on their effect on health outcomes, such as cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and on factors influencing their effectiveness and feasibility. The exergame BOOSTH uses a wrist-worn activity tracker to measure steps per day. As a reward for the performed PA, children can unlock levels in the online BOOSTH game. In addition, "BOOSTH battle" enables competition between groups.

OBJECTIVE: This protocol describes a cluster randomized controlled trial in 16 primary schools in the Netherlands investigating the effect of BOOSTH on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using accelerometry. Secondary aims are to investigate the feasibility of BOOSTH (mixed methods: questionnaires and focus group interviews) and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometrics, blood pressure, and retinal microvasculature) and HRQOL.

METHODS: Stratification variables and relevant variables related to outcomes (such as BMI [z-score], sex, age, and parenting style) and/or missingness will be taken into account. Measurements will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS: The study has received funding from Province Limburg (SAS-2015-04956) and received ethical approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre (METC172043/NL64324.068.17). The results of the analyses are expected to be published in 2021.

CONCLUSIONS: With this study, the ability of the exergame BOOSTH to increase PA and improve health in children of primary school age will be investigated. The insights into effectiveness and feasibility will result in scientific and societal recommendations, which could potentially contribute to widespread implementation of exergames for children.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03440580.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24035.

Original language	English
Article number	e24035
Number of pages	9
Journal	JMIR Research Protocols
Volume	9
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2196/24035
Publication status	Published - 11 Dec 2020

Keywords

exercise
sedentary lifestyle
mHealth
mobile health
serious game
exergame
prevention
pupil
randomized controlled trial
OPEN-LOOP FEEDBACK
VIDEO GAMES
QUESTIONNAIRE
ADOLESCENTS
OVERWEIGHT
EDUCATION
COMPUTER
CUTOFFS
OBESITY
IMPACT

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10.2196/24035Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{210c0c96e8384f0c80069df8771cb97e,

title = "Feasibility and Effect of the Exergame BOOSTH Introduced to Improve Physical Activity and Health in Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known beneficial health effects of physical activity (PA), the majority of Dutch primary school children do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. Although there is growing evidence on the effectiveness of exergames for PA in children, there is limited evidence on their effect on health outcomes, such as cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and on factors influencing their effectiveness and feasibility. The exergame BOOSTH uses a wrist-worn activity tracker to measure steps per day. As a reward for the performed PA, children can unlock levels in the online BOOSTH game. In addition, {"}BOOSTH battle{"} enables competition between groups.OBJECTIVE: This protocol describes a cluster randomized controlled trial in 16 primary schools in the Netherlands investigating the effect of BOOSTH on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using accelerometry. Secondary aims are to investigate the feasibility of BOOSTH (mixed methods: questionnaires and focus group interviews) and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometrics, blood pressure, and retinal microvasculature) and HRQOL.METHODS: Stratification variables and relevant variables related to outcomes (such as BMI [z-score], sex, age, and parenting style) and/or missingness will be taken into account. Measurements will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.RESULTS: The study has received funding from Province Limburg (SAS-2015-04956) and received ethical approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre (METC172043/NL64324.068.17). The results of the analyses are expected to be published in 2021.CONCLUSIONS: With this study, the ability of the exergame BOOSTH to increase PA and improve health in children of primary school age will be investigated. The insights into effectiveness and feasibility will result in scientific and societal recommendations, which could potentially contribute to widespread implementation of exergames for children.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03440580.INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24035.",

keywords = "exercise, sedentary lifestyle, mHealth, mobile health, serious game, exergame, prevention, pupil, randomized controlled trial, OPEN-LOOP FEEDBACK, VIDEO GAMES, QUESTIONNAIRE, ADOLESCENTS, OVERWEIGHT, EDUCATION, COMPUTER, CUTOFFS, OBESITY, IMPACT",

author = "{Ten Velde}, Gabrielle and Guy Plasqui and Maartje Willeboordse and Bjorn Winkens and Anita Vreugdenhil",

note = "{\textcopyright}Gabrielle ten Velde, Guy Plasqui, Maartje Willeboordse, Bjorn Winkens, Anita Vreugdenhil. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 11.12.2020.",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

day = "11",

doi = "10.2196/24035",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

journal = "JMIR Research Protocols",

issn = "1929-0748",

publisher = "JMIR Publications Inc.",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Feasibility and Effect of the Exergame BOOSTH Introduced to Improve Physical Activity and Health in Children

T2 - Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

AU - Ten Velde, Gabrielle

AU - Plasqui, Guy

AU - Willeboordse, Maartje

AU - Winkens, Bjorn

AU - Vreugdenhil, Anita

N1 - ©Gabrielle ten Velde, Guy Plasqui, Maartje Willeboordse, Bjorn Winkens, Anita Vreugdenhil. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 11.12.2020.

PY - 2020/12/11

Y1 - 2020/12/11

N2 - BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known beneficial health effects of physical activity (PA), the majority of Dutch primary school children do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. Although there is growing evidence on the effectiveness of exergames for PA in children, there is limited evidence on their effect on health outcomes, such as cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and on factors influencing their effectiveness and feasibility. The exergame BOOSTH uses a wrist-worn activity tracker to measure steps per day. As a reward for the performed PA, children can unlock levels in the online BOOSTH game. In addition, "BOOSTH battle" enables competition between groups.OBJECTIVE: This protocol describes a cluster randomized controlled trial in 16 primary schools in the Netherlands investigating the effect of BOOSTH on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using accelerometry. Secondary aims are to investigate the feasibility of BOOSTH (mixed methods: questionnaires and focus group interviews) and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometrics, blood pressure, and retinal microvasculature) and HRQOL.METHODS: Stratification variables and relevant variables related to outcomes (such as BMI [z-score], sex, age, and parenting style) and/or missingness will be taken into account. Measurements will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.RESULTS: The study has received funding from Province Limburg (SAS-2015-04956) and received ethical approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre (METC172043/NL64324.068.17). The results of the analyses are expected to be published in 2021.CONCLUSIONS: With this study, the ability of the exergame BOOSTH to increase PA and improve health in children of primary school age will be investigated. The insights into effectiveness and feasibility will result in scientific and societal recommendations, which could potentially contribute to widespread implementation of exergames for children.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03440580.INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24035.

AB - BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known beneficial health effects of physical activity (PA), the majority of Dutch primary school children do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. Although there is growing evidence on the effectiveness of exergames for PA in children, there is limited evidence on their effect on health outcomes, such as cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and on factors influencing their effectiveness and feasibility. The exergame BOOSTH uses a wrist-worn activity tracker to measure steps per day. As a reward for the performed PA, children can unlock levels in the online BOOSTH game. In addition, "BOOSTH battle" enables competition between groups.OBJECTIVE: This protocol describes a cluster randomized controlled trial in 16 primary schools in the Netherlands investigating the effect of BOOSTH on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using accelerometry. Secondary aims are to investigate the feasibility of BOOSTH (mixed methods: questionnaires and focus group interviews) and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometrics, blood pressure, and retinal microvasculature) and HRQOL.METHODS: Stratification variables and relevant variables related to outcomes (such as BMI [z-score], sex, age, and parenting style) and/or missingness will be taken into account. Measurements will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.RESULTS: The study has received funding from Province Limburg (SAS-2015-04956) and received ethical approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre (METC172043/NL64324.068.17). The results of the analyses are expected to be published in 2021.CONCLUSIONS: With this study, the ability of the exergame BOOSTH to increase PA and improve health in children of primary school age will be investigated. The insights into effectiveness and feasibility will result in scientific and societal recommendations, which could potentially contribute to widespread implementation of exergames for children.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03440580.INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24035.

KW - exercise

KW - sedentary lifestyle

KW - mHealth

KW - mobile health

KW - serious game

KW - exergame

KW - prevention

KW - pupil

KW - randomized controlled trial

KW - OPEN-LOOP FEEDBACK

KW - VIDEO GAMES

KW - QUESTIONNAIRE

KW - ADOLESCENTS

KW - OVERWEIGHT

KW - EDUCATION

KW - COMPUTER

KW - CUTOFFS

KW - OBESITY

KW - IMPACT

U2 - 10.2196/24035

DO - 10.2196/24035

M3 - Article

C2 - 33306031

SN - 1929-0748

VL - 9

JO - JMIR Research Protocols

JF - JMIR Research Protocols

IS - 12

M1 - e24035

ER -