title: Exercise videogames for physical activity and fitness: Design and rationale of the Wii Heart Fitness trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite numerous health benefits, less than half of American adults engage in regular physical activity. Exercise videogames (EVG) may be a practical and attractive alternative to traditional forms of exercise. However there is insufficient research to determine whether EVG play alone is sufficient to produce prolonged engagement in physical activity or improvements in cardiovascular fitness and overall health risk. The goal of the present study is to test the efficacy of exercise videogames to increase time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and to improve cardiovascular risk indices among adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wii Heart Fitness is a rigorous 3-arm randomized controlled trial with adults comparing three 12-week programs: (1) supervised EVGs, (2) supervised standard exercise, and (3) a control condition. Heart rate is monitored continuously throughout all exercise sessions. Assessments are conducted at baseline, end of intervention (week 12), 6 and 9 months. The primary outcome is time spent in MVPA physical activity. Secondary outcomes include changes in cardiovascular fitness, body composition, blood lipid profiles and maintenance of physical activity through six months post-treatment. Changes in cognitive and affective constructs derived from Self Determination and Social Cognitive Theories will be examined to explain the differential outcomes between the two active treatment conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Wii Heart Fitness study is designed to test whether regular participation in EVGs can be an adequate source of physical activity for adults. This study will produce new data on the effect of EVGs on cardiovascular fitness indices and prolonged engagement with physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Electronic address: Bbock@Lifespan.org.
authors.forename: Beth C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.affiliation: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Electronic address: Hthind@Lifespan.org.
authors.forename: Herpreet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thind
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Electronic address: sdunsiger@lifespan.org.
authors.forename: Shira I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Dunsiger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Bio-behavioral Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: serbere@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Eva R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Serber
authors.affiliation: Teachers College, Columbia University, Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, 525 W. 120th St., New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: jc4102@tc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ciccolo
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cobb
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 167 Point Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abernathy
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Electronic address: Bmarcus@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Bess H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018910:Video Games
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids
keywords: Adults; Cardiorespiratory fitness; Exercise videogames; Physical activity