Abstract
The global demographic shift towards an aging society presents significant challenges to public health and social care systems. Ageing-related physiological decline compromises balance and mobility in older adults, whilst physical inactivity remains prevalent. These challenges demand innovative interventions to maintain independence and quality of life for older individuals. Exergaming, combining physical activity with digital entertainment, has emerged as a promising approach to overcome traditional exercise barriers among older adults. This systematic review of reviews examines research from 2010 to 2024 on exergames' health-promoting effects for older adults in China, focusing on environmental design factors influencing adoption and efficacy, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration. Our synthesis reveals successful exergames incorporate age-friendly design elements, including simplified controls, adaptability to various physical abilities, and features that encourage social interaction, and demonstrate improvements in physical, cognitive, and social outcomes. Key environmental considerations include physical space design, technology infrastructure, social support, cultural adaptation, and ambient conditions. The integration of AI shows promise in improving user engagement, safety, and intervention effectiveness. This review provides insights into exergames' application forhealth promotion for older Chinese adults, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary age-friendly approaches that consider technological, environmental, and AI factors in developing effective exergaming interventions.
Keywords
Exergame; Olderadults; Age-friendly; Health-promoting; Systematicreview
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.286
Citation
Pan, Y., Jian, Y.I., Liu, Y.,and Hasdell, P.(2025) Exergaming for Older Adults in China: A Systematic Review of Reviews (2010–2024), in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.286
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 3 - Design, Art & Technology
Exergaming for Older Adults in China: A Systematic Review of Reviews (2010–2024)
The global demographic shift towards an aging society presents significant challenges to public health and social care systems. Ageing-related physiological decline compromises balance and mobility in older adults, whilst physical inactivity remains prevalent. These challenges demand innovative interventions to maintain independence and quality of life for older individuals. Exergaming, combining physical activity with digital entertainment, has emerged as a promising approach to overcome traditional exercise barriers among older adults. This systematic review of reviews examines research from 2010 to 2024 on exergames' health-promoting effects for older adults in China, focusing on environmental design factors influencing adoption and efficacy, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration. Our synthesis reveals successful exergames incorporate age-friendly design elements, including simplified controls, adaptability to various physical abilities, and features that encourage social interaction, and demonstrate improvements in physical, cognitive, and social outcomes. Key environmental considerations include physical space design, technology infrastructure, social support, cultural adaptation, and ambient conditions. The integration of AI shows promise in improving user engagement, safety, and intervention effectiveness. This review provides insights into exergames' application forhealth promotion for older Chinese adults, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary age-friendly approaches that consider technological, environmental, and AI factors in developing effective exergaming interventions.