Gamified Fitness Applications Do Not Differentially Impact Physical Activity And Affective Responses In Older Adults

Older adults (> 65 years) are a growing proportion of the population and are at an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases. Physical activity (PA) has been demonstrated to decrease the risk of developing these diseases, however, behavioral adherence remains low. Gamification has been shown to enhance experiential outcomes (e.g., enjoyment) associated with PA in younger populations, but the impact of gamified fitness apps has yet to be explored in older adults. PURPOSE: To examine how three different types of gamified fitness apps (storytelling, interactive, non-interactive) impact behavioral adherence determinants (e.g., enjoyment, affect) and PA in older adults. METHODS: Twelve older adults (70 ± 4 years, n = 5 women) used a storytelling, interactive, and non-interactive fitness app for one week, each in a randomized order. Participants received three surveys per day (Monday - Saturday; 10 am, 2 pm, 8 pm) that assessed enjoyment, affect (valence and arousal), perceived exertion, and steps and one survey on Sunday (12 pm) that assessed average daily steps and motivation towards completing PA. Participants were instructed to use the assigned app at least 60-minutes per week during ambulatory activity. RESULTS: One-way repeated measure ANOVAs showed no significant differences across the three app conditions for enjoyment, affect (valence and arousal), perceived exertion, motivation, or steps (F < 1.790, p > 0.190, observed power < 0.33 for all variables). CONCLUSIONS: This study represents a novel examination of the impact of gamified fitness apps on behavioral and experiential outcomes for PA in older adults. Presently, there were no differential effects of the three fitness app types on either behavioral adherence determinants or PA. It is possible that interindividual differences among participants (e.g., baseline PA level, technology use) may make it difficult to find one specific app that promotes a more positive exercise experience and increased PA in this population. Future research should examine various apps within one type (i.e., interactive apps versus storytelling) to determine what aspects of gamification individuals may prefer. Supported by: Healthy Communities Research Institute Distinguished Dissertation Award;Education, Health, and Human Sciences Graduate Student Grant Program Internally funded through Kent State University