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Background <p>The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is increasing around the world, and childhood obesity is associated with health status in adulthood. Although active video games (AVGs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to increase physical activity in youth, evidence regarding their impact on obesity-related anthropometric outcomes and nutritional behaviors, particularly among overweight or obese children and adolescents, remains inconsistent. This systematic review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents.</p> Method <p>A comprehensive systematic search was done on Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases without date restrictions until December 2025 by relevant keywords. All relevant original randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English that evaluated the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents were eligible for the present review. The quality of included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane Handbook. The meta-analysis was conducted using the random model effect and STATA software.</p> Results <p>In total, 39 RCTs comprising 3232 children and adolescents were included in this review. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that playing with AVGs significantly reduced the zBMI (SMD = -0.033, 95% CI (-0.060, -0.007), <i>p</i> = 0.013), BMI (SMD = -0.744, 95% CI (-0.839, -0.649), <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), and body fat percentage (SMD = -0.516, 95% CI (-0.785, -0.248), <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) of children and adolescents, but not body weight (SMD = 0.269, 95% CI (-0.115, 0.654), <i>p</i> = 0.170) of them. Moreover, the subgroup analyses revealed that AVGs significantly decreased zBMI, BMI, and body fat percentage in the studies on adolescent and subjects aged &gt; 11 years, with sample size ≥ 100, and intervention duration &gt; 12 weeks. Furthermore, the RCTs reported that playing AVGs significantly increased energy expenditure among children and adolescents and could cause developing healthier consumption behaviors, but did not impact the food or energy intake of children and adolescents.</p> Conclusion <p>The findings of the current review revealed that playing with AVGs could improve anthropometric indices especially among adolescents. However, more studies are required to confirm these achievements.</p>

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Effects of playing with active video games on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月6日

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  • Roghayeh Molani-Gol,
  • Fatemeh Hamedi-Kalajahi,
  • Nafiseh Rahimi,
  • Hossein Mashhadi Abdolahi,
  • Zeinab Nikniaz,
  • Leila Nikniaz

摘要

Background

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is increasing around the world, and childhood obesity is associated with health status in adulthood. Although active video games (AVGs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to increase physical activity in youth, evidence regarding their impact on obesity-related anthropometric outcomes and nutritional behaviors, particularly among overweight or obese children and adolescents, remains inconsistent. This systematic review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents.

Method

A comprehensive systematic search was done on Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases without date restrictions until December 2025 by relevant keywords. All relevant original randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English that evaluated the effects of AVGs on anthropometric indices and nutritional behaviors among children and adolescents were eligible for the present review. The quality of included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane Handbook. The meta-analysis was conducted using the random model effect and STATA software.

Results

In total, 39 RCTs comprising 3232 children and adolescents were included in this review. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that playing with AVGs significantly reduced the zBMI (SMD = -0.033, 95% CI (-0.060, -0.007), p = 0.013), BMI (SMD = -0.744, 95% CI (-0.839, -0.649), p < 0.001), and body fat percentage (SMD = -0.516, 95% CI (-0.785, -0.248), p < 0.001) of children and adolescents, but not body weight (SMD = 0.269, 95% CI (-0.115, 0.654), p = 0.170) of them. Moreover, the subgroup analyses revealed that AVGs significantly decreased zBMI, BMI, and body fat percentage in the studies on adolescent and subjects aged > 11 years, with sample size ≥ 100, and intervention duration > 12 weeks. Furthermore, the RCTs reported that playing AVGs significantly increased energy expenditure among children and adolescents and could cause developing healthier consumption behaviors, but did not impact the food or energy intake of children and adolescents.

Conclusion

The findings of the current review revealed that playing with AVGs could improve anthropometric indices especially among adolescents. However, more studies are required to confirm these achievements.