By Sajia Athai, Class of 2026 

While parents often worry about curbing their children’s exposure to video games, there is an increasing demand for combining innovation and fitness, as seen in the application of active video games. As adults grow older, difficulties in physical activity become the focus of their lives. Many adults don’t have the time or money to pursue activities such as muay thai, rock climbing, or weight lifting. These activities are often time-consuming and expensive–a reach for many. Limited in opportunities for productivity, adults find it challenging to battle issues in physical health. Through active video games, or AVGs, that aim to challenge older adults, individuals can piece together jigsaw puzzles. 

Older adults are often wary of utilizing technology, particularly due to a lack of experience with new devices. While they are less likely to prefer using technology, studies have presented results that show improved cognitive performance in older adults who engage in video games. A University of California San Francisco study revealed development in multi-tasking skills for seniors playing 3D video games (3). Similarly, a recent study by Dr. Kim Geok Soh and his team was conducted to observe the impacts of games on older adults. Across seven databases, a search protocol was applied to identify a correlation between behavior and games. 

A healthy group of older adults ages 60 and older was screened to take part in a sequence of random trials occurring under a set of controlled conditions denoting patients without clinical conditions or involvement in physical training. From a total of 1,428 participants who played active video games, twenty-one studies conveyed high-quality results, incorporating the PEDro scale, which tests the quality from a score between 1-10, and the GRADE technique, imperative in determining the accuracy and certainty of data (1). The studies indicated improvements in muscular strength, which were observed in proportion to time. The longer patients spent on the games, the stronger they became. There was a similar correlation between cardiorespiratory activity and game duration yet negligible impacts on composition and flexibility in the participants. A linear relationship exists for all tested variables. The data reveals vast differences in initial and final values in cardiovascular endurance, movement, and physical strength by the end of the trials. Essentially, these values signify greater differences in initial averages and final averages after the use of video games to stimulate growth. 

This study presents findings that support the use of movement-based activities to induce fitness in older adults. Active video games may serve as a valuable and cost-effective tool for those who don’t have the resources to pursue sports or other forms of physical training. While these findings prove to be imperative, creating games with a wide range of genres and elements that cater to an individual’s interests may help promote new observations. Whether it’s a long-lost dream or the desire to be healthy, active video games serve as a solution that can change lives. While the stigma around video games clouds the perspectives of many, AVGs pave the path toward revival and self-care. 

Figure 1: Older adults have found active video games to be beneficial towards tackling health issues, seeing improvements in cardiovascular activity and physical strength. 

Works Cited 

1. Deng N;Soh KG;Abdullah BB;Tan H;Huang D; (April 2024.). Active video games for improving health-related physical fitness in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in public health. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345244  

2.  Image Retrieved From: https://www.pexels.com/photo/elderly-man-in-gray-crew-neck-t-shirt-with-bandana-holding-a-game-controller-8791143/ 

3. Group, T. G. (n.d.). Technology for seniors: The benefits of video games and virtual 

           reality. Technology for Seniors: The Benefits of Video Games and Virtual Reality. https://blog.thegoodmangroup.com/best-video-games-for-seniors#:~:text=ENHANCED%20COGNITIVE%20ABILITY&text=In%20fact%2C%20a%20University%20of,%2C%20especially%20short%2Dterm%20memory.