title: Engagement, enjoyment, and energy expenditure during active video game play.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Playing active video games can produce moderate levels of physical activity, but little is known about how these games motivate players to be active. Several psychological predictors, such as perceptions of competence, control, and engagement, may be associated with enjoyment of a game, which has in turn been hypothesized to predict energy expended during play. However, these relationships have yet to be tested in active video games.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young adults aged 18-35 (N = 97, 50 female) < 300 pounds played a Dance Dance Revolution game for 13 minutes while energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry. Self-reported measures of engagement, perceived competence, perceived control, and enjoyment were taken immediately afterward. Mediation was analyzed using path analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A path model in which enjoyment mediated the effects of engagement, perceived competence, and perceived control on energy expenditure and BMI directly affected energy expenditure was an adequate fit to the data, χ(2)(1, N = 97) = .199, p = .655; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA < .001; 90% CI = .000-.206; p = .692. Enjoyment mediated the relationship between engagement and energy expenditure (indirect effect = .138, p = .028), but other mediated effects were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Engagement, enjoyment, and BMI affect energy expended during active video game play. Games that are more enjoyable and engaging may produce greater intensity activity. Developers, practitioners, and researchers should consider characteristics that influence these predictors when creating or recommending active video games.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Deborah F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Dianne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kurt M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ribisl
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bowling
authors.affiliation: School of Journalism and Mass Communication, The University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Sriram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalyanaraman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect / Q000379:methods; D003615:Dancing / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult