News: $44 Million initiative supports comprehensive solutions to childhood obesity

Exergaming is changing lives and having a positive effect on the engagement of youngsters in to extra physical activity. These great benefits are slowly being realised across the world, with the help of initiatives from bodies such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the trend can continue. Here is the latest funding news from RWJF.

As the first investment of a new $44 million initiative, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded grants of up to $400,000 to nine communities across the country that will serve as leading sites for its most ambitious effort yet to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities will support local action to increase opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy, affordable foods for children and families. The goal is to catalyze policy and environmental changes that can make a lasting difference and be replicated across the country.

The program is a major part of RWJF’s five-year, $500 million commitment to reverse the epidemic in the United States by 2015. The Foundation is also focused on building the evidence about what works to prevent childhood obesity and on supporting advocacy to educate policy-makers and leaders at all levels about the best solutions.

We see exergaming playing a big part in delivering RWJF's objectives. To find out more, read more here, and check back for news on the exergaming projects that will be funded.

Research: exergames break link between video games and childhood obesity

One of the evils that's linked obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity by using physically active exergames, research shows.

"When we talk about obesity, we often talk about the fast-food industry," said Laurette Dube, organizer of the 2008 McGill Health Challenge Think Tank. "But that's only one side of the equation - the energy-in side. We also have to look at the energy-out side, and that's why it's very important to look at ways in which we can reduce kids' inactive time and increase their share of time that gets them moving."

Exergames keep kids moving and balance the energy equation, which has shown in new study. The study shows that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight but in fact improve their physiological function.

Linda Carson, a professor of physical education West Virginia University created two groups of overweight children. The first group spent 12 weeks with a variety of exergames. The second group continued with their regular routine.

After the 12 weeks were up, the researchers discovered that the children in the second group gained weight. But the children in the exergaming group maintained their weight, while improving their aerobic ability and endothelial capacity.

Read the full article here.