Johnston, Massey, Maker-Hoffman. “Using an Alternate Reality Game to Increase Physical Activity and Decrease Obesity Risk of College Students.”
This article discusses “quasi-experimental study” involving college students playing
alternate reality games (ARG) and how it relates to college students physical activity. The study
used a large number of articles related to the rise of obesity and childhood obesity cases to
justify the relevance of the experiment. The findings of this study concluded that ARG’s can
provide a positive amount of physical activity provided that they need the needs and interests
of the students on campus.

 The study used a sample of 115 freshman students and divided them into two groups.
The first group played an ARG while the the other group attend a weekly lab where they learned how to use exercise equipment. The experiment measured students weight, hight, waist circumference, body mass index, and percentage of body fat, as well as self-reported amounts of physical activity, vigorous physical activity, and steps per week. The study found that the group playing the ARG were taking more steps throughout the course of the experiment while the number of steps the comparison group took decreased over time. The study also found that both groups reported a decrease in the amount of vigorous physical activity over time, however, only the comparison groups decrease could be seen as significant.

 The physical benefits of playing an ARG in combination with the research done by
Jane McGonagall and Stuart Brown on the mental and social benefits of playing games help to
justify these games presences on college campuses.

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