Effects of an Immersive Virtual Reality–Based Exercise Intervention on Psychological and Physiological Outcomes in College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial
Wenxi Liu, Daniel J. McDonough, John Oginni, Jessh Mavoungou, Zan Gao · JMIR Serious Games · 2025
Background Physical inactivity is a major public health issue among college students, often exacerbated by academic pressures and lifestyle shifts. Traditional exercise interventions often face challenges with adherence due to low motivation and engagement. Immersive virtual reality (VR)–based exercise interventions may address these barriers by providing interactive and motivating experiences, yet empirical evidence regarding their psychological and physiological benefits remains scarce. Objective This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 4-week immersive VR-based exercise intervention on psychological and physiological health outcomes in college students. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 36 college students randomized into either a VR exercise group (n=17, 47%) or a no-intervention control group (n=19, 53%). Participants in the VR group engaged in immersive VR cycling sessions (two 60-minute sessions weekly) using the VirZoom VR system, while the control group continued their normal routines. Psychological outcomes were assessed during preintervention and postintervention assessments, including exercise motivation (Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2), mood states (Brunel Mood Scale), and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory). Physiological outcomes assessed were cardiovascular fitness (3-Minute Step Test) and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis). We used a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA to analyze the effects of the intervention. Results Significant time×group interactions indicated enhanced intrinsic motivation (P=.02; η2=0.25); improved mood states with increased vigor (P=.01; η2=0.18); and decreased confusion (P=.01; η2=0.17), fatigue (P=.02; η2=0.16), and tension (P=.003; η2=0.24) in the VR group. Depressive symptoms were also significantly reduced (P=.03; η2=0.14). Physiological outcomes showed significant improvements in the VR group, including decreased body fat percentage (P<.001; η2=0.34) and enhanced cardiovascular fitness (P<.001; η2=0.47) compared to the control group. Conclusions This study indicated that a 4-week immersive VR-based exercise intervention may confer short-term psychological and physiological benefits among college students compared to the no-intervention control group under COVID-19 pandemic–related constraints. Future studies should adopt active control designs and be conducted in real-world settings, incorporating objectively determined intensity monitoring and follow-up to further investigate effectiveness and real-world scalability. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06902727; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06902727