At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
BackgroundThe worldwide rise in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases has increased the recognition of the need to identify modifiable risk factors for preventing and managing these diseases. The office worker, as a representative group of physically inactive workers, is...
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JMIR Publications
2025-01-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e64560 |
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| author | Jing Zhao Akitomo Yasunaga Andrew T Kaczynski Hyuntae Park Yufeng Luo Jiuling Li Ai Shibata Kaori Ishii Shohei Yano Koichiro Oka Mohammad Javad Koohsari |
| author_facet | Jing Zhao Akitomo Yasunaga Andrew T Kaczynski Hyuntae Park Yufeng Luo Jiuling Li Ai Shibata Kaori Ishii Shohei Yano Koichiro Oka Mohammad Javad Koohsari |
| author_sort | Jing Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
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BackgroundThe worldwide rise in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases has increased the recognition of the need to identify modifiable risk factors for preventing and managing these diseases. The office worker, as a representative group of physically inactive workers, is exposed to risk factors for metabolic syndrome, which is a primary driver of noncommunicable diseases. The use of virtual reality (VR) exergames may offer a potential solution to the problem of increasing noncommunicable disease prevalence, as it can help individuals increase their physical activity levels while providing a more immersive experience.
ObjectiveThis exploratory study aims to examine the interventional efficacy of at-home immersive VR exergames on metabolic syndrome biomarkers among office workers. Additionally, it seeks to investigate the impacts of at-home immersive VR exergames on the active and sedentary behaviors of office workers.
MethodsA 3-arm, single-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted to examine the therapeutic effects of at-home immersive VR exergames. A total of 120 Chinese office workers, engaging in less than 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, will be recruited via a convenience sampling method. The participants, who will be tested over a 12-week period, will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) the VR exergame intervention group, (2) the regular physical activity control group, and (3) the nonexercise control group. Throughout the 12-week trial, three categories of variables will be collected across the three groups: clinical risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, active and sedentary behaviors, and demographics. To analyze variance among the groups, a mixed linear model will be applied to assess the efficacy of each group. Differences in metabolic syndrome clinical risk factors among all groups will be used to evaluate the effects of at-home immersive VR exergames. Changes in active and sedentary behaviors will also be used to determine the impacts of VR exergames on metabolic syndrome.
ResultsThe ethics committee of Guangzhou University, China, approved this study on September 25, 2024. Participant recruitment will begin in early 2025 and continue for approximately 3 months. Data will be analyzed after the 12-week trial is completed, with full results expected to be presented in early 2026.
ConclusionsThis study explores an emerging topic by applying an at-home immersive VR exergame intervention, potentially contributing to understanding the effects of an exergame program on metabolic syndrome risk among office workers.
Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06556784; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06556784
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/64560 |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cbf35e8f886945b583dcfca79f4e4f69 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj-art-cbf35e8f886945b583dcfca79f4e4f692025-01-20T16:15:33ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482025-01-0114e6456010.2196/64560At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled TrialJing Zhaohttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-9280-3926Akitomo Yasunagahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9924-4042Andrew T Kaczynskihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8724-8241Hyuntae Parkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1976-0005Yufeng Luohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1180-2063Jiuling Lihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4991-2513Ai Shibatahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0241-3103Kaori Ishiihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8077-4895Shohei Yanohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4819-4380Koichiro Okahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5571-042XMohammad Javad Koohsarihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9384-5456 BackgroundThe worldwide rise in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases has increased the recognition of the need to identify modifiable risk factors for preventing and managing these diseases. The office worker, as a representative group of physically inactive workers, is exposed to risk factors for metabolic syndrome, which is a primary driver of noncommunicable diseases. The use of virtual reality (VR) exergames may offer a potential solution to the problem of increasing noncommunicable disease prevalence, as it can help individuals increase their physical activity levels while providing a more immersive experience. ObjectiveThis exploratory study aims to examine the interventional efficacy of at-home immersive VR exergames on metabolic syndrome biomarkers among office workers. Additionally, it seeks to investigate the impacts of at-home immersive VR exergames on the active and sedentary behaviors of office workers. MethodsA 3-arm, single-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted to examine the therapeutic effects of at-home immersive VR exergames. A total of 120 Chinese office workers, engaging in less than 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, will be recruited via a convenience sampling method. The participants, who will be tested over a 12-week period, will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) the VR exergame intervention group, (2) the regular physical activity control group, and (3) the nonexercise control group. Throughout the 12-week trial, three categories of variables will be collected across the three groups: clinical risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, active and sedentary behaviors, and demographics. To analyze variance among the groups, a mixed linear model will be applied to assess the efficacy of each group. Differences in metabolic syndrome clinical risk factors among all groups will be used to evaluate the effects of at-home immersive VR exergames. Changes in active and sedentary behaviors will also be used to determine the impacts of VR exergames on metabolic syndrome. ResultsThe ethics committee of Guangzhou University, China, approved this study on September 25, 2024. Participant recruitment will begin in early 2025 and continue for approximately 3 months. Data will be analyzed after the 12-week trial is completed, with full results expected to be presented in early 2026. ConclusionsThis study explores an emerging topic by applying an at-home immersive VR exergame intervention, potentially contributing to understanding the effects of an exergame program on metabolic syndrome risk among office workers. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06556784; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06556784 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/64560https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e64560 |
| spellingShingle | Jing Zhao Akitomo Yasunaga Andrew T Kaczynski Hyuntae Park Yufeng Luo Jiuling Li Ai Shibata Kaori Ishii Shohei Yano Koichiro Oka Mohammad Javad Koohsari At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | At-Home Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk Among Office Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | at home immersive virtual reality exergames to reduce cardiometabolic risk among office workers protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e64560 |
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