Efficacy of an Augmented Reality Location-Based Game on Physical Activity in Middle-Aged Sedentary Workers.

Abstract

Introduction: Prolonged sitting and physical inactivity among office workers pose severe global health risks. Location-based games have emerged as a novel gamified approach to counteract these sedentary lifestyles. This study investigated the effectiveness of a location-based game on physical activity behaviors, psychological determinants, and body composition.

Study design: The study design used a two-arm, non-randomized controlled trial between February and May 2025.

Participants: Participants were 70 sedentary office workers aged 40 years and above who were assigned to experimental and control groups.

Intervention: The experimental group engaged in an 8-week intervention that integrated location-based gameplay, Pikmin Bloom, with progressive daily step goals monitored via a chatbot.

Main outcome measures: The evaluation used a self-reported questionnaire and objective body composition metrics.

Results: The experimental group had achieved significant within-group improvements in walking and total physical activity after the intervention. Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for all body composition parameters, with the experimental group demonstrating superior improvements in body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and skeletal muscle mass compared to the control group.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that location-based games can serve as efficacious and accessible mHealth tools for modifying health behaviors in sedentary populations. By transforming routine walking into an interesting and engaging experience, such interventions yield meaningful enhancements in physical activity for occupational health promotion.

Trial registration: The study protocol was preregistered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06910995).