Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Jun;5(2):93-98.
doi: 10.1111/j.1750-8606.2011.00162.x. Epub 2011 May 10.

Exergames for Physical Education Courses: Physical, Social, and Cognitive Benefits

Amanda E Staiano  1 , Sandra L Calvert
Affiliations

Exergames for Physical Education Courses: Physical, Social, and Cognitive Benefits

Amanda E Staiano et al. Child Dev Perspect. 2011 Jun.

Abstract

Digital games combining exercise with game play, known as exergames, can improve youths' health status and provide social and academic benefits. Exergame play increases caloric expenditure, heart rate, and coordination. Psychosocial and cognitive impacts of exergame play may include increased self-esteem, social interaction, motivation, attention, and visual-spatial skills. This article summarizes the literature on exergames, with a special emphasis on physical education courses and the potential of exergames to improve students' physical health, as well as transfer effects that may benefit related physical, social, and academic outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Baranowski T, Buday R, Thompson DI, Baranowski J. Playing for real: Video games and stories for health-related behavior change. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2008;34:74– 82. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barker A. Kids in study try to dance away weight. New York: Associated Press; 2005.
    1. Bausch L, Beran J, Cahanes S, Krug L. Physiological responses while playing Nintendo Wii Sports. Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research. 2008;3(2):19–25.
    1. Brubaker B. Teachers join the Dance Dance Revolution: Educators begin training to use the exercise video game. The Dominion Post. 2006 Mar 11; Available at http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/424434/teachers_join_the__danc....
    1. Chamberlin B, Gallagher R. Exergames: Using video games to promote physical activity. Presented at Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Conference; San Antonio, TX. 2008.

LinkOut - more resources