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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
MCHbest. Physical Activity.

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Strategy. Electronic Physical Activity Intervention

Approach. Use electronic gaming or electronic equipment to provide physical activity opportunities in a home- or school-based setting

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Overview. With the rise of technology, there are opportunities for increased physical activity using electronic gaming or "exergaming." While this is a recent and evolving intervention strategy, some studies are examining these new physical-activity-related technologies to determine potential implications for the physical activity levels of adolescents in both school and home-based settings.[1,2]

Evidence. Emerging Evidence. Strategies based on emerging evidence show promise but have not undergone extensive testing. While these approaches demonstrate potential, their effectiveness remains unconfirmed. Prioritize rigorous monitoring to ensure they achieve desired outcomes for all MCH populations.

Access the peer-reviewed evidence through the MCH Digital Library or related evidence source.

Potential Data Sources. Data to support this strategy can be accessed through:

  • Software app usage analytics
  • Device/equipment checkout and usage logs
  • Process evaluation checklists/fidelity logs for implementation

Outcome Components. This strategy has shown to have impact on the following outcomes (Read more about these categories):

  • Health and Health Behaviors/Behavior Change. This strategy improves individuals' physical and mental health and their adoption of healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy eating, physical activity).

Detailed Outcomes. For specific outcomes related to each study supporting this strategy, access the peer-reviewed evidence and read the Intervention Results for each study.

Intervention Type. Health Teaching (Education and Promotion) (Read more about intervention types and levels as defined by the Public Health Intervention Wheel).

Intervention Level. Community-Focused

Examples from the Field. Access descriptions of ESMs that use this strategy or aligned components.

Sample ESMs. Here are sample ESMs to use as models for your own measures using the RBA framework (see The Role of Title V in Adapting Strategies).

Quadrant 1:
Measuring Quantity of Effort (“What/how much did we do?”)

  • Number of evidence-based electronic physical activity interventions implemented in schools for community centers. (Assesses adherence to best practices)
  • Number of training sessions conducted for educators on integrating electronic physical activity into curricula. (Measures capacity building)

Quadrant 2:
Measuring Quality of Effort (“How well did we do it?”)

  • Percent of electronic physical activity interventions that meet recommended physical activity intensity levels. (Measures adherence to health standards)
  • Percent of exergaming options that incorporate child relevant themes and characters. (Assesses relevance and appeal)

Quadrant 3:
Measuring Quantity of Effect (“Is anyone better off?”)

  • Number of physical education curricula updated to include electronic physical activity components. (Shows integration into school operations)
  • Number of community centers equipped with exergaming stations in areas with limited outdoor recreation spaces. (Assesses strategic resource allocation)
  • Number of additional minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity achieved through exergaming per week. (Quantifies behavior change)
  • Number of sedentary students transitioning to regular physical activity through electronic interventions. (Measures impact on high-risk groups)

Quadrant 4:
Measuring Quality of Effect (“How are they better off?”)

  • Percent of electronic physical activity resources allocated to schools in areas with high childhood obesity rates. (Measures strategic deployment of resources)
  • Percent of exergaming options that accommodate players with different physical abilities. (Assesses program design)
  • Percent increase in overall physical activity levels among intervention participants, disaggregated by key characteristics. (Directly evaluates behavior change across subgroups)
  • Percent reduction in gaps in physical activity participation between students with and without access to traditional sports. (Measures improvements in health outcomes)

Note. When looking at your ESMs, SPMs, or other strategies:

  1. Move from measuring quantity to quality.
  2. Move from measuring effort to effect.
  3. Quadrant 1 strategies should be used sparingly, when no other data exists.
  4. The most effective measurement combines strategies in all levels, with most in Quadrants 2 and 4.

Learn More. Read how to create stronger ESMs and how to measure ESM impact more meaningfully through Results-Based Accountability.

References

1 Barr-Anderson D.J., Cook B., Loth K., Neumark-Sztainer D. Physical activity and sociodemographic correlates of adolescent exergamers. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2018 May;62(5):630-632.

2 Ye S, Pope ZC, Lee JE, Gao Z. Effects of School-Based Exergaming on Urban Children's Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Oct 23;16(21):4080. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16214080. PMID: 31652857; PMCID: PMC6862233.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.