title: Can E-Gaming Be Useful for Achieving Recommended Levels of Moderate- to Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity in Inner-City Children?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the energy expenditure of a tailored, interactive genre of e-gaming ("Winds of Orbis: An Active Adventure"; Entertainment Technology Center, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA) ( www.activeadventuregame.com ) with that of a tethered videogame ("Dance Dance Revolution" [DDR]; Konami Digital Entertainment, El Segundo, CA) and with traditional physical education (PE) activities in meeting recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Schoolchildren (n=104) in grades 3-8 from inner-city Washington, DC completed three randomly ordered 20-minute bouts of DDR, "Orbis," and PE. Energy expenditure was measured using accelerometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, energy expenditure was significantly greater from PE compared with "Orbis" and DDR (P<0.01). Among girls (n=58) and children with obesity (n=49), however, energy expenditure from "Orbis" and PE was similar, and both resulted in higher energy expenditure compared with DDR (P<0.01). After adjustment for sex, grade, and body mass index, we observed that among children in grades 3-5 energy expenditure from all three activities was sufficient to meet recommended intensity criteria for vigorous activity (>6 metabolic equivalents). Among children in grades 6-8, however, these vigorous-intensity criteria were met only by boys and only with PE activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the school setting, traditional PE activities continue to work well for some children in meeting MVPA recommendations. Among special subgroups, however, e-gaming may provide a useful supplement to PE in increasing activity levels during the school day and beyond.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Exercise Science, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services , Washington, D.C.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Exercise Science, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services , Washington, D.C.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaux-Bjerke
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Prevention & Community Health, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services , Washington, D.C.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McDonnell
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Exercise Science, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services , Washington, D.C.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DiPietro