Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Interactive video dance games for healthy older adults

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Background

Physical activity promotes health in older adults but participation rates are low. Interactive video dance games can increase activity in young persons but have not been designed for use with older adults. The purpose of this research was to evaluate healthy older adults’ interest and participation in a dance game adapted for an older user.

Methods

Healthy older adults were recruited from 3 senior living settings and offered three months of training and supervision using a video dance game designed for older people. Before and after the program, data was collected on vital signs, physical function and self reported quality of life. Feedback was obtained during and after training.

Results

Of 36 persons who entered (mean age 80.1 + 5.4 years, 83 % female), 25 completed the study. Completers were healthier than noncompleters. Completers showed gains in narrow walk time, self-reported balance confidence and mental health. While there were no serious adverse events, 4 of 11 noncompleters withdrew due to musculoskeletal complaints.

Conclusions

Adapted Interactive video dance is feasible for some healthy older adults and may help achieve physical activity goals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Older Americans 2008: Key indicators of wellbeing. In. Washington D.C.: Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Warburton DE, Bredin SS, Horita LT, et al. The health benefits of interactive video game exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2007;32:655–663.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Maddison R, Mhurchu CN, Jull A, Jiang Y, Prapavessis H, Rodgers A. Energy expended playing video console games: an opportunity to increase children’s physical activity? Pediatr Exerc Sci 2007;19:334–343.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Maloney AE, Bethea TC, Kelsey KS, et al. A pilot of a video game (DDR) to promote physical activity and decrease sedentary screen time. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2008;16:2074–2080.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Inzitari M, Greenlee A, Hess R, Perera S, Studenski SA. Attitudes of postmenopausal women toward interactive video dance for exercise. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2009;18:1239–1243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Smith ST, Sherrington C, Studenski S, Schoene D, Lord SR. A novel Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) system for in-home training of stepping ability: Basic parameters of system use by older adults. Br J Sports Med 2009.

  7. Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L, Simonsick EM, Salive ME, Wallace RB. Lower-extremity function in persons over the age of 70 years as a predictor of subsequent disability. N Engl J Med 1995;332:556–561.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bandinelli S, Pozzi M, Lauretani F, et al. Adding challenge to performance-based tests of walking: The Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit (WIT). American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation / Association of Academic Physiatrists 2006;85:986–991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. San Antonio Texas: Psychological Corporation 1981.

  10. Powell LE, Myers AM. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. The journals of gerontology 1995;50A:M28–M34.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ware JE, Jr., Sherbourne CD. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Medical care 1992;30:473–483.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Federici A, Bellagamba S, Rocchi MB. Does dance-based training improve balance in adult and young old subjects? A pilot randomized controlled trial. Aging Clin Exp Res 2005;17:385–389.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Green CS, Bavelier D. Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature 2003;423:534–537.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hatzitaki V, Voudouris D, Nikodelis T, Amiridis IG. Visual feedback training improves postural adjustments associated with moving obstacle avoidance in elderly women. Gait Posture 2009;29:296–299.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Henderson KA, Bedini LA. “I have a soul that dances like Tina Turner, but my body can’t”: physical activity and women with mobility impairments. Res Q Exerc Sport 1995;66:151–161.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hopkins DR, Murrah B, Hoeger WW, Rhodes RC. Effect of low-impact aerobic dance on the functional fitness of elderly women. Gerontologist 1990;30:189–192.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Risenhuber M. An action video game modifies visual processing. Trends Neurosci 2004;27:72–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Shigematsu R, Chang M, Yabushita N, et al. Dance-based aerobic exercise may improve indices of falling risk in older women. Age Ageing 2002;31:261–266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Shimamoto H, Adachi Y, Takahashi M, Tanaka K. Low impact aerobic dance as a useful exercise mode for reducing body mass in mildly obese middle-aged women. Appl Human Sci 1998;17:109–114.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Verghese J. Cognitive and mobility profile of older social dancers. J Am Geriatr Soc 2006;54:1241–1244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Verghese J, Lipton RB, Katz MJ, et al. Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. N Engl J Med 2003;348:2508–2516.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA

    Stephanie Studenski, S. Perera & E. Hile

  2. Humana Inc., Louisville, USA

    Stephanie Studenski, V. Keller, J. Spadola-Bogard & J. Garcia

Authors
  1. Stephanie Studenski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Perera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Hile
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. Keller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. Spadola-Bogard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. Garcia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephanie Studenski.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Studenski, S., Perera, S., Hile, E. et al. Interactive video dance games for healthy older adults. J Nutr Health Aging 14, 850–852 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0119-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0119-5

Key words

Search

Navigation