{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T12:19:24Z","timestamp":1769170764304,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,25]],"date-time":"2024-01-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706140800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Program (PRR), IAPMEI\/ANI\/FCT under the Agenda","award":["C645022399-00000057"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["C645022399-00000057"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Sedentary behavior and inadequate energy expenditure are serious global public health concerns among youngsters. The exponential growth in technology emerges as a valuable opportunity to foster physical activity, particularly through active video games. We performed a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus to provide a comprehensive view of the literature on energy expenditure levels among adolescents while playing active video games. Among the 574 manuscripts identified at the first screening stage, 23 were retained for analysis. Ten studies were characterized by longitudinal and thirteen by cross-sectional designs. The results showed that short-term active video games elicited energy expenditure values comparable to moderate-intensity physical activity (3\u20136 METs). However, in intervention programs (with at least six weeks) the results indicate no significant effects of active video games on youngsters\u2019 energy expenditure levels and physical activity profiles between baseline and follow-up assessments. Overall, active video games based on sports and dance were the most used, and boys tended to achieve higher energy expenditure than girls. The diversity of methods implemented limits comparing results and drawing generalized conclusions. However, considering its attractiveness to youth, active video games might emerge as a complementary tool to traditional physical activities promoted in schools and local communities. Details regarding gender differences and contradictory results of longitudinal approaches should be considered in future research based on standardized methods.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/sports12020039","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,25]],"date-time":"2024-01-25T06:54:12Z","timestamp":1706165652000},"page":"39","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Estimated Energy Expenditure in Youth While Playing Active Video Games: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8364-6832","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"C\u00edntia","family":"Fran\u00e7a","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Sadaf","family":"Ashraf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1395-2468","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, CIDAF, University of Coimbra, 3040-248 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Mara","family":"Dion\u00edsio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculty of Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9845-5190","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreas","family":"Ihle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"},{"name":"Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"},{"name":"Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9850-7771","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adilson","family":"Marques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"},{"name":"CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Cruz Quebrada, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Environmental Health Institute (ISAMB), Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1649-020 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3577-3439","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marcelo","family":"de Maio Nascimento","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"},{"name":"Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Vale do S\u00e3o Francisco, Petrolina 56304-917, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0927-692X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u00c9lvio R\u00fabio","family":"Gouveia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, 1227 Carouge, Switzerland"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2022). 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