ShareThisBy JOE VELARDE
Scripps Howard News Service
Thursday, September 20, 2007
With childhood obesity ballooning in the United States, researchers are looking everywhere for solutions -- even toward the Internet and video games, which have been maligned by many for contributing to the crisis.
HopeLab, a California-based non-profit organization focused on child health, launched a Web site this week, www.ruckusnation.com, where Web surfers can submit innovative ways to encourage healthy living and boost physical activity in children. Up to $300,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded for the best ideas.
"It can be a video game, a toy, Web-based initiative -- anything," says Ellen Lapointe, vice president for strategic partnership at HopeLab. "It can be the next hula hoop or Dance Dance Revolution (the popular video game also known as DDR), or even something in between."
Emily Murphy, research instructor for the department of pediatrics at West Virginia University, says that video games such as the DDR, which has players mimic dance moves, actually work to increase physical activity.
According to a study conducted earlier this year by Murphy, children in the 85th percentile of body mass index improved their general health and reduced their risks of certain long-term adulthood illnesses, such as diabetes, simply by playing DDR for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for 24 weeks.
"When you think outside the box, using extra gaming like DDR is effective," Murphy said. "(Ruckusnation.com) puts the ball back into the children's court and let's them come up with their own ideas. It may be effective, it may not. Only time will tell."
The epidemic of child obesity is growing. Over the last 30 years, the number of obese children ages 6 to 11 has tripled, according to Elissa Murphy, dietician at Terre Haute Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, Ind. According to a 2007 report by the Trust for American's Health, approximately 25 million children ages of 6 to 17 in the United States are either overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass.
Some experts consider the Internet and video games as leading causes for the obesity crisis, as kids are tempted to stay inside rather than playing and exercising outdoors. But HopeLab is using those tools to promote good health.
HopeLab produced Re-Mission, a first-person shooting video game featuring a character named Roxy who travels through the human body eradicating cancerous cells. Based on the popularity of that game, the people at HopeLab are now targeting child obesity via Ruckusnation.com, which they hope can act as the hub for a worldwide competition of ideas.
"During our prior work with Re-Mission, we found that products in particular can be very effective and powerful tools (for stimulating awareness) if they're fun and engaging," Lapointe said. "The window of opportunity for encouraging good living habits occurs during the middle school years. If you can get them thinking now, hopefully they'll continue moving throughout the rest of their lives."
Contestants can submit their ideas at ruckusnation.com through Nov. 20. Winners will be announced in early 2008.
For more information, visit ruckusnation.com, hopelab.org and healthyamericans.org.
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To whom it may concern:
I have written a children’s alphabet nutrition book called “The Adventures of Tommy the Tomato.” It is written for children from ages 3-8. This is the age obesity starts and the age children need to learn healthy eating habits. I would like to send you a couple of books to review and possible use in your programs.I am in the process of writing several other books for children and nutrition. Here is the website www.tommythetomato.com
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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www.tommythetomato.com
Ph#(727)460-7104
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Unfortunately, Mr. Holt, I have to take the role of the cynic, because information in your book can be found for free all over the Internet. It is practically impossible to make any money at all selling informational books like the one you've written because of the plethora of free information on the Internet. Children and parents would rather play a video game than read a book, but I know there are a few that do. Problem is, people tend to ignore recipes and go for what tastes good, so you are fighting an uphill battle if you omit sugar or anything that makes the dish taste sweet. A better idea would be to suggest supplementation, because you can get all the vitamins and minerals without losing them during the cooking process in a pill. I understand that authors like you and me relish the thought of making money while not having to have a regular job, but reality is not good in this area. I apologize if I am sounding negative, that is not my intention--more like, realistic. I'm also not too happy that three books that I wrote that could help people are going largely ignored, except among collectors. It seems like the book age is over, and now everything is online--and often for free.
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"It can be a video game, a
"It can be a video game, a toy, Web-based initiative -- anything," says Ellen Lapointe, vice president for strategic partnership at HopeLab. "It can be the next hula hoop or Dance Dance Revolution (the popular video game also known as DDR), or even something in between."
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Video Games and Obesity, the Internet
The Internet and the proliferation of video games are the main contributor to childhood obesity, and even adult obesity. I grew up in the 60's and 70's, and you could not drive down the street without seeing children playing Frisbee, throwing a football or baseball, street hockey, jump rope, lawn darts, and so on. All the playgrounds were usually full, except on rainy days, but now they're always deserted. I can't remember a time when I saw a yard with children playing outside, and that's probably because all the kids are inside playing video games. I nearly failed 11th grade because of my new game system I received back in 1977, so I know how addicting it can be. I'm not against the Internet, because it is a boon to writers and researchers like myself, but companies are sure not encouraging outdoor activities any more--activities that don't cost anything extra. I can't remember when I saw a TV commercial for a toy you play with outside, away from the computer or video game console, it's no wonder we are a nation of fatties! Either that, people addicted to their own endorphins, the narcissists who are in love with their own bodies. It might also be why the divorce rate has skyrocketed. Sometimes, change isn't good.