Publications by authors named "Austin Fernandez"

Article Synopsis
  • - Active video games using fully immersive virtual reality (AVR) can increase physical activity levels and cognitive performance compared to sedentary virtual reality (SVR) and control conditions.
  • - A study with 29 sedentary college students showed that AVR resulted in a significantly higher heart rate and more time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to SVR and control sessions.
  • - Participants reported a more engaging and enjoyable experience during AVR, and there was a slight improvement in memory performance after the AVR session compared to SVR.
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The benefits of exergaming on executive function in children have been increasingly reported; however, weight-dependent effects of exergames on executive function, and inhibitory control in particular, remain poorly understood. We examined performance on an inhibitory control task at baseline and following acute bouts of exergaming in children who varied in weight status. Forty 8-12-year-old children with obesity ( = 20) and normal weight ( = 20) performed neutral, congruent, and incongruent conditions of a Victoria Stroop Test (VST) before and after exergames through an Xbox One in an elementary classroom.

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Background: Although physical activity (PA) has been shown in helping prevent and treat obesity, current PA interventions are still not effective in ameliorating the obesity epidemic. Additional forms of PA need to be investigated to improve PA engagement and outcomes. We hypothesize that pairing a narrative (i.

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Background: Active video games (AVGs) can increase physical activity (PA) and help produce higher physiological expenditure. Animated narrative videos (NVs) possess unique immersive and motivational properties. When added to AVGs, they have been found to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as opposed to the original no video condition.

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Purpose: This study examined differences in energy expenditure and bodily movement among children of different weight status during exergames that varied in mode and intensity.

Methods: Fifty-seven 8- to 12-year-old children including overweight/obesity (n = 28) and normal weight (n = 29) played three 10-minute interval Xbox One exergames (Fruit Ninja, Kung-Fu, and Shape Up) categorized based on predominantly upper-, whole-, or lower-limb movement, respectively. The authors measured bodily movement through accelerometry and obtained energy expenditure and metabolic equivalent (MET) via indirect calorimetry.

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We assessed the agreement of two ActiGraph activity monitors (wGT3X vs. GT9X) placed at the hip and the wrist and determined an appropriate epoch length for physical activity levels in an exergaming setting. Forty-seven young adults played a 30-min exergame while wearing wGT3X and GT9X on both hip and wrist placement sites and a heart rate sensor below the chest.

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