Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Promoting Physical Activity and Health among College Students: A 4-week Randomized Controlled Trial

Despite the known benefits of physical activity, the prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are significant issues in public health. Young adults, such as college students, are a population at risk for decreased physical activity participation due to the newfound responsibility of balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities. Previous findings indicated the lack of motivation was one of the important factors explaining the decreased physical activity participation. The emerging technology of immersive virtual reality combining with exercise provide a fun and motivating means for promoting physical activity and health-related outcomes. The cross-sectional studies have shown the promising influences of immersive virtual reality exercise on health-related outcomes, however, there is no experimental study to further conclude the findings. Therefore, the purpose of this randomized control trial was to examine the effectiveness of a 4-week VR-based exercise intervention on promoting PA and improving physiological and psychological outcomes among college students.