What impact does gamification have on fitness?

Gamification is a growing trend. It’s affecting all sorts of industries, from sports, to language learning, to music – even meditation and mindfulness. But how can gamification impact fitness? Well, the short answer is, in lots of ways.

 

Gamification and physical fitness

Anyone can see what everyone else is doing online. Among many other things, this has brought constant comparisons and further competition. A 2019 study showed that gamification increased physical activity among adults looking to get fitter.

The participants were given 70 points each week, and if they met their ‘step goal’ they would hold on to those points. If they didn’t reach their goal, they lost points, which would “[trigger] the powerful psychological phenomenon best known as loss aversion,” in the words of Peter Ubel, a physician and behavioural scientist at Duke University.

If enough points were amassed, the participants were awarded in different ways. They’d move up a level, going from bronze to silver, for instance. Or, when they were part of a team, their teammate might go up a level. Sometimes they saw whether they got more points than another participant, which added a competitive element.

Of the three gamification interventions tested, all three “significantly increased” the participants’ level of activity, with competition being the most effective.

That silver-to-gold level jump introduces another way exercisers can be motivated: the instant gratification that comes with gamification.

 

The research

Haley Perlus, PhD, a sports and performance psychology expert, notes that while traditionally there’s no instant benefit from working out – no one can detect their body miraculously changing when they put down that barbell – with gamification, things like daily reward systems make exercise a more enjoyable habit.

A 2022 study showed that participants who were assigned to “exergaming” (video games with an active component) reported enjoying their workouts more than those assigned to a traditional exercise class.

So, gamification can provide instant results and make exercise more fun. These might seem like fairly inconsequential findings, but the American Sports & Fitness Association cites people not seeing results and the “boring” nature of exercise as two of the key reasons people quit exercising.

 

Wearable devices

Wearable devices, or ‘wearables’, let their wearers track physical activity and sleep scores. This category of devices includes Apple Watches, Fitbits, and other GPS trackers.

Some devices can even integrate with a Continuous Glucose Monitoring device (CGM), helping those with diabetes. With one of the smart devices, diabetics will be notified when their CGM detects they are high or low on glucose.

One advantage of a wearable device is the reminders to move and the workout suggestions. It’s easy to sit at a desk without getting up for a couple of hours – a wearable can help people get moving.

These wearables always link back to a smartphone – or even a PC/laptop. For gamification to be fully functional and optimised, people need to access their data and track their progress in a variety of ways.

A mate asks about a recent 5K time? Check the watch.

A sibling asks about sleep recovery? Check the smartphone.

A loved one asks why they spend all day examining a regime in an Excel sheet? Check the laptop.

Multi-device ecosystems are common these days because developers understand people need to access what they want, whenever they want it. A good example of this is iGaming. A prominent brand like RoyalPanda based in New Zealand (though available across the world) will ensure it is available on Android, iOS, and PC.

Gamification is likely to continue to influence fitness in the years to come, as the increasing rate of smartphone users and wearable devices shows no signs of slowing down.

image: https://unsplash.com/photos/person-weightlifting-painting-vqDAUejnwKw