Cardiorespiratory Exertion While Playing Video Game Exercises in Elderly Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Objective: 

To evaluate the suitability of the Wii Fit Plus exergame as a tool to improve cardiorespiratory fitness in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Design: 

Experimental cross-sectional study.

Setting: 

Controlled laboratory.

Participants: 

Twelve type 2 diabetic patients (10 male and 2 female; age, 60.2 ± 7.7 years; body mass index, 30.9 ± 6.2 kg/m²).

Interventions: 

At baseline, all participants underwent an all-out cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill to assess peak and average oxygen consumption (V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak and V[Combining Dot Above]O₂mean). Forty-eight to 72 hours after the cardiopulmonary exercise test, the same parameters were assessed during three 10-minute bouts of Wii Fit Plus exergaming and converted to percentage of treadmill V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak (%V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak).

Main Outcome Measures: 

V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak and V[Combining Dot Above]O₂mean during Wii Fit Plus play relative to V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak achieved during the cardiopulmonary exercise test.

Results: 

All Wii Fit Plus exercises generated a V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak of around 60% and V[Combining Dot Above]O₂mean of around 40% of the V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak as established during the cardiopulmonary exercise test. Mean heart rate and resting energy expenditure (respiratory exchange ratio) lay in a range of moderate aerobic exercise. A moderate-to-strong correlation between treadmill V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak and both exergame V[Combining Dot Above]O₂peak and exergame V[Combining Dot Above]O₂mean was found.

Conclusions: 

Video gaming has the potential to offer training intensities that concur with established guidelines for type 2 diabetic patients. The training intensity is self-adjusting based on fitness level allowing for an effective workout for different users.