AUTHOR=Huang Wan-Yun , Liou I-Hsiu , Chang Shin-Tsu , Lee Chao-Hsien , Du Yi-Chun , Cherng Rong-Ju 

TITLE=Effects of physical fitness using a Kinect system for pre-frail community-dwelling older adults

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1498606

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1498606

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=PurposeThe study aimed to examine and compare the effects on physical fitness between aerobic dance exercise using Kinect system and aerobic dance exercise using video in pre-frail community-dwelling older adults.MethodsThe study adopted an assessor-blinded experimental design. Sixty participants enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned into an experimental group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). The experimental group received aerobic dance exercise using Kinect system 30 mins/session, three sessions/week for 8 weeks. The control group received aerobic dance exercise program with video at home. Physical fitness, quality of life and exercise behavior regulation were assessed before, after the intervention (0–8 weeks) and at a 1-month follow-up (0–12 weeks).ResultsBoth the experimental and control groups showed improvement in 30 Second Chair Stand Test (30CST) and 6-minute walk tests (6MWT) at 0–8 weeks and at 0–12 weeks. But the experimental group presented significantly more improvement than control group at 0–8 weeks in 30CST and at 0–12 weeks in 6MWT. The experimental group also exhibited significant improvement in Quality-of-Life Questionnaire by World Health Organization scores at 0–8 and 0–12 weeks. A significant difference in Behavior Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) scores was also noted in the experimental group at 0–12 weeks (p < 0.008).ConclusionBoth groups of participants improve their physical fitness, but the experimental group improve more in certain measures. Moreover, they also show significant improvement in quality of life, facilitate exercise behavior regulation and improve fitness enthusiasm. Thus, aerobic dance exercise using Kinect system is more effective than traditional training for pre-frail community-dwelling older adults.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/beta/records, Identifier: NCT06216236.