Cardiovascular Response of an Acute Exergame Session in Prepubertal Obese Children

Heal Me!-Investigating the "Red Potion" Concept and Its Influence on Gamers' Cardiovascular Endurance

The "red potion," inspired by video games, emulates the health point replenishment mechanism for injured game characters. Conversely, red ginger, known for its potential tonic properties in enhancing cardiovascular endurance, poses challenges in acquisition within specific regions. Several previous studies have highlighted the existence of an inseparable link when gamers are engaged in real-world activities, even without actively playing the game in the virtual world. This suggests the potential for the "red potion" concept to enhance the well-being of gamers in reality. A statistical ANOVA experiment involved 90 participants, all avid gamers, categorized into three groups: basic, placebo, and experimental. The basic group (BG) received a red-colored beverage without red ginger infusion or the 'red potion' concept. In contrast, the placebo group (PG) received a similar beverage described as a "red potion" but without red ginger. Lastly, the experimental group (EG) received a red ginger-infused beverage without the "red potion" concept. Despite receiving different treatments, all beverages were presented in the same red color. Participants underwent the "beep test" to assess their baseline stamina. The results revealed that both PG and EG exhibited comparable cardiovascular endurance, affirming the potential of the "red potion" concept to positively influence gamers.

Effectiveness of Exergaming in Improving Cognitive and Physical Function in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia have impaired physical and cognitive functions, leading to a reduced quality of life compared with those without such impairment. Exergaming, which is defined as a combination of exercise and gaming, is an innovative, fun, and relatively safe way to exercise in a virtual reality or gaming environment. Therefore, exergaming may help people living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia to overcome obstacles that they may experience regarding regular exercise and activities.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to review studies on exergaming interventions administered to elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, and to summarize the results related to physical and cognitive functions such as balance, gait, executive function, and episodic memory.

METHODS

We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Amed, and Nursing Database for articles published from the inception of the respective databases to January 2019. We included all clinical trials of exergaming interventions in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia for review. The risk of bias was independently evaluated by two reviewers using the Cochrane Collaboration and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tools.

RESULTS

Ten studies involving 702 participants were included for review. There was consistent evidence from 7 studies with a low risk of bias showing statistically significant effects of exergaming on cognitive functioning in people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. With respect to physical function, 3 of 5 full-scale studies found positive results, and the intensity of most games was classified as moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, exergaming is an innovative tool for improving physical and cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, although there is high heterogeneity among studies in terms of the duration, frequency, and gaming platform used. The quality of the included articles was moderate to high. More high-quality studies with more accurate outcome indicators are needed for further exploration and validation of the benefits of exergaming for this population.

Lifestyle Modification for Enhancing Autonomic Cardiac Regulation in Children: The Role of Exercise

Decreased physical activity (PA) is a global concern contributing to the rise in cardiometabolic diseases. One potential mechanism linking insufficient PA and poor health is dysregulated autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. This relationship is established in adults and PA recommendations, with specific exercise prescription guidelines, have been proposed to overcome this societal health burden. However, research on the benefits and underlying mechanisms of exercise on ANS activity in children <18 years old is limited. This review aimed to describe the optimal exercise “dose” and potential mechanisms of action that exercise may pose on enhancing child ANS activity, represented by heart rate variability (HRV). PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for articles examining the influence of exercise on child HRV. Various exercise duration and frequency combinations appear to improve HRV indices, primarily those representing parasympathetic influence. Furthermore, both aerobic and resistance training benefit HRV through potentially different mechanisms with intensity proposed to be important for exercise prescription. Findings indicate that exercise is a crucial lifestyle modification with protective and therapeutic effects on cardiometabolic health associated with improvements in child ANS activity. Exercise programming must consider the various components including mode, intensity and population characteristics to optimize ANS health.