Exergames and their use in the school curriculum: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Exergames can be an initiative to reduce the sedentary lifestyle of school children and adolescents. Objective: Conduct a systematic review on the use of exergames in the school environment. Method: Structured according to PRISMA, the articles were searched in the following databases: Science Direct, Pubmed, Scielo, EBSCO host, Health Games Research, IEEE and Eric. Articles that made use of consoles of domestic exergames and a minimum score of 7 points on the PEDro scale were used as a inclusion criteria. Results: Most articles investigated the effects of exergames on physical activity practice, physical capabilities and anthropometric variables. High percentage investigated the motivation related to the use of exergames in the school curriculum, and a smaller number analyzed the effects of the practice in the balance. Conclusion: Exergames provide positive effects to increase levels of physical activity and modify anthropometric variables. In addition, they provide greater motivation. However, regarding balance, there is a need for further studies for further clarification.