BACKGROUND
A longitudinal study of exergaming among young adults in Canada
OBJECTIVE
Our objectives were: (i) to explore whether exergaming status from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic (stopped, started, sustained exergaming, never-exergamed) related to change in walking or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); and (ii) among past-year exergamers, to describe change in minutes/week exergaming from before to during the pandemic.
METHODS
681 participants (M(SD) age=33.6(0.5), 41% male) from the 22-year NDIT study provided data on walking, MVPA, and exergaming before (2017-20) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021). Physical activity (PA) change scores were described by exergaming status.
RESULTS
62.4% of participants never exergamed, 8.2% started exergaming during the pandemic, 19.7% stopped, and 9.7% sustained exergaming. Declines were observed in all three PA indicators in all four groups. Among the more salient findings: (i) participants who started exergaming during COVID-19 reported the highest MVPA levels before and during the pandemic and declined the least (mean -35 minutes/week) (ii) sustained exergamers reported the lowest MVPA levels during the pandemic (median 66 minutes/week), and they declined the most in MVPA (mean change of -92 minutes/week) and in meeting MVPA guidelines (-23.6%). Sustained exergamers increased exergaming by a median 60 minutes/week during the pandemic. Starters reported 85 minutes of exergaming/week during the pandemic.
CONCLUSIONS
62.4% of participants never exergamed, 8.2% started exergaming during the pandemic, 19.7% stopped, and 9.7% sustained exergaming. Declines were observed in all three PA indicators in all four groups. Among the more salient findings: (i) participants who started exergaming during COVID-19 reported the highest MVPA levels before and during the pandemic and declined the least (mean -35 minutes/week) (ii) sustained exergamers reported the lowest MVPA levels during the pandemic (median 66 minutes/week), and they declined the most in MVPA (mean change of -92 minutes/week) and in meeting MVPA guidelines (-23.6%). Sustained exergamers increased exergaming by a median 60 minutes/week during the pandemic. Starters reported 85 minutes of exergaming/week during the pandemic.
CLINICALTRIAL
Not applicable