The Riverplex continues to innovate and lead in developing health and wellness programming. And now we’ve added the new "Vault Activation Zone by Exergame Fitness USA"—one of the first exergaming studios of its kind in the country!
It’s video game technology that’s out of the box thinking, with physical engagement that’s hard to resist. The addition of interactive exergaming includes offering clinical programs for those with limited mobility, private studio rentals, corporate team-building packages, school field trips, and after-prom parties, as well as our own fitness and recreation programs and RiverPlex member activities. Exergaming offers children a positive, safe place to become physically active.
Tommy Seilheimer VP of Exergame Fitness adds, “Our joint partnership with RiverPlex and OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is something that is going to help park districts, YMCA’s, JCC’s & Schools around the United States obtain grants, educational material on the exergaming industry and a qualified hands on approach to these amazing products that are getting health based results
Showing posts with label Exergaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exergaming. Show all posts
Exergame Fitness & The Chicago Bears Expo May 17th
Come out to the Expo to help kick off the 2009 season with the Chicago Bears and the 4th Phase. Be sure to check out the autograph sessions, seminars (featuring players, coaches and front office personnel), locker room tours, Q&A sessions, kids interactive area, field activities, authentic Bears merchandise, participating vendors and see first hand the ins and outs of the best stadium in the NFL, Soldier Field!The 2009 Expo seminar schedule will include Inside the Bears, Bears Q&A, Meet the Coordinators, Football Tales, Game Time Equipment, Meet the Rookies and more!
Also on hand will be Exergame Fitness USA, This videogame exercise company will be sponsoring the Bear Expo by bringing thier “Active Gaming Products” such as the tWall (digital interactive touch wall) and a USA Made Wii Multiplayer DDR System for all to enjoy! Exergame Fitness is the global leader in exergaming products and services that help fight the raging epidemic of childhood obesity and inactivity.
Exergame Fitness attends Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin for the YMCA Healthy Kids Day event!
Exergame Fitness USA attended Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin for the YMCA Healthy Kids Day event and brought the Twall and 4 player Cobalt Flux Wii DDR system for the kids to play! In association with the Greater YMCA of Green Bay, the event was a huge success with thousands of kids attending!
What is Active Gaming (Exergaming)?
Active Gaming is simple to describe, It is a new form of exercise obtained by playing videogames that require movement and interaction on all different levels. Videogames that use physical activity to participate.Tommy Seilheimer VP of Exergame Fitness adds:
"Simply put, kids, adults and seniors love to play videogames! Why change something that is so popular and engaging? Instead of changing it we are making participants active while playing some of these exciting and engaging Exergaming products. We bring an the active element to this form of gaming and entertainment that is working around the world. What is really fun about what we do is that we work with the world's top Exergaming manufactures and use their products to create a complete "active gaming room" that captures and houses all the exciting things that videogames has to offer.
Look, feel, touch and sound are just a part of what we create inside Schools, YMCA's, Kid Zones, Park Districts, Hospitals, and other locations alike. When a participant walks into one of our rooms they forget that they are in a "workout room" due to the "customized & exciting atmosphere" that promotes physical activity. We have done hundreds of locations and have seen first hand what Active Gaming can bring to a facility. We are talking life changing attitudes, healthier lifestyles and rewarding competitive play that promotes even more energy exertion from the user.
I come from the entertainment industry and I am an avid videogame player to date. I have had every video console made since Pong TV and have performed all over the world for many years. I know what kids like because number one I have 2 of them (13 & 14) myself and secondly never underestimate what they are looking for. Kids will tell you what's cool if you simply ask them for input. many of our custom room & decor designs were designed by kids and we think it is vital to enlisted the help of kids in your active gaming room.
Please feel free to call me directly for more information on Active Gaming Rooms and our amazing line of Exergaming products. My direct line is 877-668-4664 x1103 or you can reach me by email at tommy@exergamefitness.com
Please also view our Active Gaming Testing and Research Facility located in Peoria, Illinois. We hold FREE Monthly Workshops at this facility to anyone who wants to touch and feel the products along with getting educated on what we can offer your facility. Remember, we work with any size space or budget. Also ask us about our grant assistance!"
Active Gaming is healthy a recent study shows:
Active Gaming is usually given a kicking by health experts, but one recent study has actually deemed that "active gaming" could form part of "recommended physical activity". Coming after the industry got in a huff over a government campaign that linked gaming to an early death, the Nottingham Trent University study indicated that active gaming could provide a safe and private environment in which to exercise, particularly for children and the obese with. Fifteen children were monitored while playing "traditional" games (deemed as "those requiring no real physical movement"), and with "interactive multimedia videogames" like Wii Sports or titles that use Sony's motion-sensing EyeToy camera.
The resulting data highlighted that, during active game play, energy expenditure can be increased by approximately 42% above the levels measured during the more traditional game play sessions. Conclusions based on these studies suggested that if children engaged in active play for 60 minutes every day over a year, they would burn approximately 7.5lbs of body fat," according to the report.
New Technology to Beat the Fitness Crunch
If families do not pay up they could be risking their own children's health. 9 Out of 10 children are predicted to grow up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies. Fat that can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.Busy modern lifestyles combined with the current economic climate have led to the Fitness Crunch, were families do not have the time or the money to be active enough. Technology, despite causing part of the lifestyle problem, is now rising to the challenge of the Fitness Crunch through exergaming company Gamercize.
Gamercize is a new kind of fitness technology that uses the power of video games to keep exercise interesting; by adding exercise to existing games. This week Gamercize has announced the new 3 in 1 GZ Family Fit home exercise machine that meets the required activity guidelines for everyone with convenience and fun.The GZ Family Fit connects to a Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 to keep your mind off the exercise effort as you play top video games.
You have to keep moving to keep the game playing, stop and it will freeze you out until you start exercising again.Not all members of the family play video games so the GZ Family Fit can be
used for non-interactive traditional fitness too. With the combination of rowing and cycling functions, you can choose to read a book while comfortably cycling or watch the news with a rowing workout.The GZ Family Fit easily folds away taking up less space than one stationary exercise bike and costs a fraction of the traditional route to active living.
About Gamercize: Gamercize, a British company behind world-wide patented electronic fitness accessories for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. The company aim is to encourage fitness through motivation and enjoyment, by innovation in technology. Gamercize is an official partner of the Change4Life programme and member of the Fitness Industry Association.
Gamercize can be purchased in the USA at Exergame Fitness "The Global Leader in Exergaming Products and Services". http://www.exergamefitness.com/ 877-668-4664 info@exergamefitness.com
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The Price is Right on CBS Awards the Motivatrix MX10 Workout Master Distributed by Exergame Fitness to Contestant
Los Angeles, CA, January 12, 2009 (Air Date February 24, 2009):Because Americans of all ages are having a harder time staying fit, the Price is Right on CBS featured the latest in fitness and motivation, Motivatrix. When the curtains opened, the announcer explained how the Motivatrix Workout Master distributed by Exergame Fitness does not require for you to hold anything, but instead uses an invisible matrix of sensors to detect your bodies’ movement. You become the joystick which controls the exercise-based game/workouts and instructor-led aerobic routines.
Welcome to Motivatrix. The MX10 Workout Master mimics existing DDR systems in design, but it manages to feature a number of internal games inside to keep your workout sessions fresh. Additionally, the machine not only recognizes fancy footwork, but built-in sensors can understand arm flailing as well, and you can even "jam out to your own music" while breakin' a sweat. Most interesting, however, is the fact that its also an internet-enabled machine, meaning 
that exercise freaks across the land can compete against one another, giving even the least motivated individuals something to work for.
Equipment such as this is like a “breath of fresh air” for those that are tired of going to the gym and using the same old treadmill or exercise bike to motivate them to loose weight. With today’s obesity rates skyrocketing and the gaming trend continuing to dominate, it is about time that someone found a way to merge the gaming world with the fitness world.
Exergame Fitness VP of Operations adds:
“The Motivatrix was perfect for the show; it offered a chance for someone to take home a product that can keep the entire family fit while having fun. The Motivatrix MX10 has been very successful for our company and we stand by the product because of the positive results our clients get from the machine. He Motivatrix MX10 is a popular piece we apply to many of our custom full room layout and designs and is extremely popular with health clubs and recreation centers looking for something different for their clients.”
The Motivatrix workout line has recently added a sleek new version called the MX Wave and a version where you can compete against friends called the Motivatrix Multi-User.
Visit http://www.exergamefitness.com/ to see the complete Motivatrix line and additional equipment that is built to entertain while helping to motivate you in new ways to become fit.
that exercise freaks across the land can compete against one another, giving even the least motivated individuals something to work for.Equipment such as this is like a “breath of fresh air” for those that are tired of going to the gym and using the same old treadmill or exercise bike to motivate them to loose weight. With today’s obesity rates skyrocketing and the gaming trend continuing to dominate, it is about time that someone found a way to merge the gaming world with the fitness world.
Exergame Fitness VP of Operations adds:
“The Motivatrix was perfect for the show; it offered a chance for someone to take home a product that can keep the entire family fit while having fun. The Motivatrix MX10 has been very successful for our company and we stand by the product because of the positive results our clients get from the machine. He Motivatrix MX10 is a popular piece we apply to many of our custom full room layout and designs and is extremely popular with health clubs and recreation centers looking for something different for their clients.”
The Motivatrix workout line has recently added a sleek new version called the MX Wave and a version where you can compete against friends called the Motivatrix Multi-User.
Visit http://www.exergamefitness.com/ to see the complete Motivatrix line and additional equipment that is built to entertain while helping to motivate you in new ways to become fit.
About Exergame Fitness:
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company, is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
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Exergame Fitness in Dubai - In Motion Club
The Freedom Climber pictured here was provided by Exergame Fitness USA for their partner in Dubai called In Motion. In Motion is a pioneer in providing a healthy lifestyle that combines fitness and interactive gaming through innovative concepts that address today’s youths’ wellbeing. In Motion – in association with one of the leading exergame fitness experts and a leading child wellness education center have initiated a novel wellness club in their area.The Freedom Climber provides all the benefits of climbing without the risk of falling from a 30 ft. wall. Being non-motorized, it requires no electricity or batteries to operate. It extends out from your wall only 8 inches and the 90 inch climbing surface rotates quietly clockwise or counter-clockwise being governed by a patent pending mechanism that is virtually maintenance free. Now, even with limited space, a fitness facility, recreation center, school or even a home or office can offer a climbing experience that is free from a safety harness or ropes. No risk. No strings.
Lightspace Play is a multi-purpose interactive entertainment system which is played by the player moving their entire body to activate the game controls. This process provides an aerobic value to playing a classic game of Pong versus the traditional hand/eye coordination required of a standard video game cabinet. The Lightspace Play creates an engaging experience that will draw young children, teenagers and adults to activities that will excite and entertain them while keeping them active and fit.
Makoto Sport Arena. Enter the triangular arena and compete against lights, sounds and time. Each of the three towers has ten targets that randomly activate. Hear a sound from the tower and strike a light on the target with your hands, feet, staff, or bopper. Your body moves, lunges, stretches, bends, twists & burns calories rapidly. The more accurate you strike, the better score you receive.
Motivatrix mimics existing DDR systems in design, but it features a number of internal games inside to keep your workout sessions fresh. When you step on, optical scanners begin tracking your movements and energy expenditure. You can choose personal trainer mode, which will walk you through exercises in proper form; take an aerobics class; or opt for a Max Challenge Workout, in which your body acts as a joystick for games.
Childhood obesity worries Santa
All Santa wants this Christmas is for kids to lose a few of those extra pounds.
It turns out the rising rate of childhood obesity isn't just worrisome for parents, it's also cause for concern for Santa's health.
So says Victor Nevada, a Calgarian who has played Mr. Claus for 23 years. He runs a four-day Santa School every year and has written a lengthy training manual for aspiring Santas.
The latest chapter of Nevada's book, a 535-page manual that is continually being added to, details what to do with children who are morbidly obese.
Nevada, 65, advises fellow Santas not to take such children on their knees for the sake of their own health.
"The best way is to bring them in close and establish a bond that way," he says.
Damaged backs or knees from heavy children are real concerns for Santas, many of whom are over the age of 60, says Nevada.
"I've been playing Santa for over 20 years, and last year I looked at the issue and saw a need for a chapter on it," he says.
Nevada, who has played St. Nick in TV commercials, attracts students from all across North America to his yearly Santa training courses.
He started writing his manual for Santa wannabes who could not attend his Santa school.
Other chapters in Nevada's book include information on everything from how to answer questions commonly asked by children to improvisation and comedic skills.
Nevada describes his Santa guide, which can be purchased from his website, www.santaschool.com, as the most comprehensive instruction manual on the market.
"Santas read it over and over because there's just that much material and information inside," he says.
Nevada, who estimates he'll attend more than 80 events as Santa Claus this holiday season, says most people don't realize how complicated being a Santa is.
"There's a lot more to it than just putting on a red suit, a fake beard and practising your 'Ho ho hos'," he says. "You're an actor and you have to be on all the time. It's a tough job."
Being a Santa is certainly not without its perks, though, says Nevada.
"In the space of 30 to 45 seconds, which is the average visit that Santa has with someone, I have the power to totally change their lives," says Nevada.
"I don't know anybody else that has that ability."
It turns out the rising rate of childhood obesity isn't just worrisome for parents, it's also cause for concern for Santa's health.
So says Victor Nevada, a Calgarian who has played Mr. Claus for 23 years. He runs a four-day Santa School every year and has written a lengthy training manual for aspiring Santas.
The latest chapter of Nevada's book, a 535-page manual that is continually being added to, details what to do with children who are morbidly obese.
Nevada, 65, advises fellow Santas not to take such children on their knees for the sake of their own health.
"The best way is to bring them in close and establish a bond that way," he says.
Damaged backs or knees from heavy children are real concerns for Santas, many of whom are over the age of 60, says Nevada.
"I've been playing Santa for over 20 years, and last year I looked at the issue and saw a need for a chapter on it," he says.
Nevada, who has played St. Nick in TV commercials, attracts students from all across North America to his yearly Santa training courses.
He started writing his manual for Santa wannabes who could not attend his Santa school.
Other chapters in Nevada's book include information on everything from how to answer questions commonly asked by children to improvisation and comedic skills.
Nevada describes his Santa guide, which can be purchased from his website, www.santaschool.com, as the most comprehensive instruction manual on the market.
"Santas read it over and over because there's just that much material and information inside," he says.
Nevada, who estimates he'll attend more than 80 events as Santa Claus this holiday season, says most people don't realize how complicated being a Santa is.
"There's a lot more to it than just putting on a red suit, a fake beard and practising your 'Ho ho hos'," he says. "You're an actor and you have to be on all the time. It's a tough job."
Being a Santa is certainly not without its perks, though, says Nevada.
"In the space of 30 to 45 seconds, which is the average visit that Santa has with someone, I have the power to totally change their lives," says Nevada.
"I don't know anybody else that has that ability."
Children Tell Researchers: We'll Get Fit if it's Fun
An independent study at the University of Cumbria found that nine in every ten youngsters want to play video games at the same time as exercising. The games reduce the boredom of exercise.Fifty children aged 11 and 12 were asked to use exercise equipment combined with video games provided by a company called Gamercize.The children could play their games only while they maintained movement on the fitness machines. If they stopped exercising, the games paused. Researcher Jack Tyson said:
"The results of this study show that 90% of children like combining video games with exercise."Only one in five of these children was achieving the recommended one hour a day of moderate physical activity, while three-quarters of them played video games for more than one hour a day. Today, the National Obesity Forum hailed the findings.Clinical director Dr David Haslam said:
"Physical inactivity in children is a major cause of the obesity epidemic, and Gamercize provides an innovative solution, reducing sedentary behaviour, whilst maintaining enjoyment, making it a popular and appealing remedy. This study begins to show that by providing more novel opportunities, it is possible to increase a child's activity in a painless and effective way.
"Tam Fry, the Forum
's board member for children and the Honorary Chairman of the Child Growth Foundation, added: "Ideally children should be running around fields and expending energy naturally, but a lot of children are unable to do this so active gaming brings about energy balance. The key to all this is that children must have fun and the value of Gamercize is that children have a great time using it."Gamercize equipment has proved popular in schools and homes worldwide.Derbyshire Sport introduced Gamercize equipment into schools this year.Steve Smith, the schools sports partnership development manager, said:
"We have found Gamercize equipment appeals to all children, helping us to provide additional physical activity in our primary and secondary schools. Gamercize has proved both popular with children and is extremely flexible for PE teachers and school sport competition managers alike.
Gamercize products are available at Exergame Fitness USA.
WMBD/WYZZ TV - PEORIA -- A new fitness program combines video games with exercise.
Video Games and Fitness
Reported by: Angelica Alvarez, WMBD/WYZZ TV
Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 @11:34am CST
WMBD/WYZZ TV - PEORIA -- A new fitness program combines video games with exercise.
Riverplex in Peoria introduces Exergaming, a program to get the unmotivated, motivated. Exergame Fitness uses interactive games to keep kids moving. Organizers say with the alarming rise in childhood obesity, it was imperative to find a way to pair the popularity of technology with health. Kids are so wrapped up in the game, they don't even realize they're improving their health. Exergame Fitness is the worlds largest provider for Exergaming, Exerlearning (Brain Fitness) and medically driven programming.
Carl Cannon with CHOICES and the Park District, says, "The only exergaming room of its type in the nation, and it played in Peoria first. So if I had advice for parents this Christmas, tell them to get rid of those things you do with your hands and have them start using their legs, their hearts and their minds.
Sixth grader, Timesha Bailey, was one of the first students who got to try to program and when asked what she'll tell her classmates about it, she says, "You all need to come next time, it is so much fun! You're really in the game, fighting people, it's so fun!"
Organizers say Exergaming isn't just a great way to get in shape, but the games also improve hand-eye coordination and engages the mind and body together in active problem solving.
Kids from the CHOICES program are among the first to be able to use the Exergaming program.
Video games promoted in fight against childhood obesity
MONTREAL - In the fight against childhood obesity, grim statistics continue to be reported.
One in four children in the U.S. spend at least three hours a day sitting in front of the computer surfing the net but not doing school work - up from 22 per cent in 2003.
Yet as an international conference being held in Montreal this week shows, the news isn't all bleak. In fact, one of the evils that's been blamed for contributing toward obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity.
It's called exergaming, video games that spur children (as well as their parents) to use all their limbs rather than only their thumbs.
An American company called Exergame Fitness is leading the way for YMCA's, Schools, Park Districts and Health Clubs around the world, outiftting them with the latest and greatest in kids interactive Exergaming products.
"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."
Linda Carson, a professor of physical education at West Virginia University, acknowledged that exergaming, popularized by such games as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo
's Wii Sports, is controversial.
"There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not encouraged to go outside and play," Carson said. "There are some opponents who say that it takes away from traditional physical education exercise."
But Carson argued that exergaming is a "wholesome" activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games. With the Wii console, for example, children can simulate snowboarding and many other sports in a safe manner.
Carson and her colleagues have just completed a study showing that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight and improve their physiological function.
In her study, Carson 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 (how well the arteries respond to blood flow.)
What's more, some children in the exergaming group expressed for the first time an interest and confidence in trying out for some outdoor sports, Carson said.
"I think exergaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education," she added. "There is a lot of value to children having physical activity options in their home and even at school."
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
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One in four children in the U.S. spend at least three hours a day sitting in front of the computer surfing the net but not doing school work - up from 22 per cent in 2003.
Yet as an international conference being held in Montreal this week shows, the news isn't all bleak. In fact, one of the evils that's been blamed for contributing toward obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity. It's called exergaming, video games that spur children (as well as their parents) to use all their limbs rather than only their thumbs.An American company called Exergame Fitness is leading the way for YMCA's, Schools, Park Districts and Health Clubs around the world, outiftting them with the latest and greatest in kids interactive Exergaming products.
"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."
Linda Carson, a professor of physical education at West Virginia University, acknowledged that exergaming, popularized by such games as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo
's Wii Sports, is controversial."There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not encouraged to go outside and play," Carson said. "There are some opponents who say that it takes away from traditional physical education exercise."
But Carson argued that exergaming is a "wholesome" activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games. With the Wii console, for example, children can simulate snowboarding and many other sports in a safe manner.
Carson and her colleagues have just completed a study showing that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight and improve their physiological function.In her study, Carson 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 (how well the arteries respond to blood flow.)
What's more, some children in the exergaming group expressed for the first time an interest and confidence in trying out for some outdoor sports, Carson said.
"I think exergaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education," she added. "There is a lot of value to children having physical activity options in their home and even at school."
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
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Exer-gaming gets the nod from Canadian health meet
By Frank Caron Published: November 04, 2008 - 10:09AM CT
Though there are those who would dispute the link between noteworthy weight-loss and the various exer-gaming products offered by games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit when played in an active manner, members of a Canadian university think tank on health has come out in favor of the titles and their ability to encourage overweight children to be more active.
Laurette Dube, head of the 2008 McGill Health
Challenge Think Tank put on by the University of McGill in Montreal, Canada (which is the foremost medical school in the country), expressed her views to attendees that exer-gaming could be a valuable motivation tool, contrary to what other groups have said. Linda Carson, professor of physical education at West Virginia University, recently completed a study on exer-gaming and its effect on children using Wii Sports and presented alongside Laurette at the gathering."There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not be encouraged to go outside and play," said Carson to attendees. "I think exer-gaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education. There's a lot of value to children having physical activ
ity options in their home and even at school."Regardless of what the science says, I've always been of the mind that anything that gets kids off the couch and up moving is better than sitting lazily on the couch and just thumbing a controller. I'll be the first to admit that getting some rounds of Wii Tennis in with my cousins definitely led to more than a few trips to the tennis courts that would have never otherwise happened. Making the transition to real sports may require more than just plopping a Wii in the household, but that's the parents' job: the Wii is just an excellent segue from inactivity to action.
Exergame Fitness | XRGame Zone at The RiverPlex in Peoria IL
Just imagine for a moment...
Kids voluntarily playing videogames to stay active, healthy and educated....
Exergaming is the Answer!
Ask us how we can help your facility!
Kids voluntarily playing videogames to stay active, healthy and educated....
Exergaming is the Answer!
Ask us how we can help your facility!
Headed for danger: Schools must help to reverse rise in diabetes, doctors say
KALAMAZOO -- It's very difficult to help a 50-year-old diabetic who needs to overcome a lifetime of bad eating and exercise habits.
Jennifer Harnish Kalamazoo GazetteStudents at Portage Central Middle School use exergaming as an alternative in gym class about twice a month. The games include Dance Dance Revolution, Wii, and Exerbikes.
A Palatine, Illinois company called Exergame Fitness is largest Exergaming product supplier and programmer of kids interactive fitness equipment in the world. They have outfitted over 500 YMCA's and hundreds of Schools with budget saving products that help fight the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.
To slow the rise in diabetes or to reverse the trend, it will be necessary to start educating people when they are much, much younger. And it will require inundating them with health information at the place where they spend the most time: school.
So argues Dr. Lee Bricker in an upcoming article on diabetes and adolescents for the medical journal State of the Art Reviews: Adolescent Medicine. Bricker co-wrote the article with Dr. Donald Greydanus, a fellow professor at Michigan State University/Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies.
"We need to hit these kids in grade school and junior high school," said Bricker, an endocrinologist and head of the KCMS Adult Endocrine and Diabetes Clinics.
"We see all these football-shaped kids," he said. "We need to get them back into gym class, get the candy bars out of the vending machines and hit this as a major health effort."
The National Diabetes Education Program estimates that about 3,700 new cases of Type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year among young people under age 20. With Type 2 diabetes, which can be caused by excess weight, the body develops a resistance to insulin and does not use insulin properly. As the need for insulin increases, the pancreas loses its ability to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar.
Some small-scale studies have indicated that Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the under-20 age group, but there are no hard data on the trend, said Karen Hunter, a media specialist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But the big fear among health officials is that the kids and teens who are overweight now will end up as adults with diabetes. Between 16 and 17 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight -- about double the number of 20 years ago, according to recent national estimates from the National Diabetes Education Program.
"You have to break the cycle somewhere. We can do it by hitting it hard in schools," Bricker said. "It needs to be right up there with other public health issues like sex education.
"It is a part of healthy living."
Shannon Carney Oleksyk agrees. Oleksyk is a childhood overweight prevention specialist with the Michigan Department of Community Health. She helps oversee the Healthy Schools Action Tool, an interactive online method, established in 2003, to encourage schools to promote healthy choices in their curriculum and environment.
"Children spend a majority of their waking hours at school," Oleksyk said. "Schools can play an integral part in providing a healthy environment for students."
It doesn't take much to change the environment at a school, she said. It simply requires "a dedicated champion" who is passionate about health and helps the schools to prioritize healthy changes, she said.
The need is obvious, Oleksyk said. One in four adolescents is overweight, and 70 to 80 percent of overweight children become obese adults, she said. Michigan has the 11th-highest obesity rate in the country.
To address the problem, schools need to move beyond simple awareness of health issues to offering sustainable philosophical changes, she said. For example, a school that sponsors a health fair brings people to one level of understanding, but a school that develops a school food policy that includes healthy options in the cafeteria, bans teachers from using food to reward children and strictly controls what is sold in vending machines makes a fundamental shift in the school environment and the thinking of the staff and students.
Saugatuck Public Schools has made that shift over the past five years, with Karen Steiger guiding efforts as the coordinator of health services. Among the district's efforts to create healthier communities: opening the high school gym for community use on Sundays and using a grant to give elementary-school children a daily snack of a fruit or vegetable.
It is not always easy to implement change, Steiger said, but if a district or a school can form a dedicated team, it makes the process a lot smoother. "We couldn't do this without the support of the district team, the parents and the staff," she said. "We really are doing it all for the kids. We want our kids to be healthy."
Posted by Linda S. Mah Kalamazoo Gazette November 04, 2008 08:00AM
Video games promoted in fight against childhood obesity
MONTREAL - In the fight against childhood obesity, grim statistics continue to be reported.
One in four children in the U.S. spend at least three hours a day sitting in front of the computer surfing the net but not doing school work - up from 22 per cent in 2003.
Yet as an international conference being held in Montreal this week shows, the news isn't all bleak. In fact, one of the evils that's been blamed for contributing toward obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity.
Exergaming is a 'wholesome' activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games, argues Linda Carson, a professor of physical education at West Virginia University.
It's called exergaming, video games that spur children (as well as their parents) to use all their limbs rather than only their thumbs.
"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."
Linda Carson, a professor of physical education West Virginia University, acknowledged that exergaming, popularized by such games as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo's Wii Sports, is controversial.
"There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not encouraged to go outside and play," Carson said. "There are some opponents who say that it takes away from traditional physical education exercise."
But Carson argued that exergaming is a "wholesome" activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games. With the Wii console, for example, children can simulate snowboarding and many other sports in a safe manner.
Carson and her colleagues have just completed a study showing that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight and improve their physiological function.
In her study, Carson 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 (how well the arteries respond to blood flow.)
What's more, some children in the exergaming group expressed for the first time an interest and confidence in trying out for some outdoor sports, Carson said.
"I think exergaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education," she added. "There is a lot of value to children having physical activity options in their home and even at school."
Exergame Fitness has the largest selection of Interactive Exergaming products in the world, along with optional Exergame programming that is leading the industry in helping to fight Childhood Obesity. Please visit their website at http://www.exergamefitness.com/ or call toll free 877.668.4664 or email info@exergamefitness.com
One in four children in the U.S. spend at least three hours a day sitting in front of the computer surfing the net but not doing school work - up from 22 per cent in 2003.
Yet as an international conference being held in Montreal this week shows, the news isn't all bleak. In fact, one of the evils that's been blamed for contributing toward obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity.
Exergaming is a 'wholesome' activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games, argues Linda Carson, a professor of physical education at West Virginia University.
It's called exergaming, video games that spur children (as well as their parents) to use all their limbs rather than only their thumbs.
"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."
Linda Carson, a professor of physical education West Virginia University, acknowledged that exergaming, popularized by such games as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo's Wii Sports, is controversial.
"There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not encouraged to go outside and play," Carson said. "There are some opponents who say that it takes away from traditional physical education exercise."
But Carson argued that exergaming is a "wholesome" activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games. With the Wii console, for example, children can simulate snowboarding and many other sports in a safe manner.
Carson and her colleagues have just completed a study showing that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight and improve their physiological function.
In her study, Carson 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 (how well the arteries respond to blood flow.)
What's more, some children in the exergaming group expressed for the first time an interest and confidence in trying out for some outdoor sports, Carson said.
"I think exergaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education," she added. "There is a lot of value to children having physical activity options in their home and even at school."
Exergame Fitness has the largest selection of Interactive Exergaming products in the world, along with optional Exergame programming that is leading the industry in helping to fight Childhood Obesity. Please visit their website at http://www.exergamefitness.com/ or call toll free 877.668.4664 or email info@exergamefitness.com
The Deadly Economics of the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Children's International Obesity Foundation sees too many financial benefits going to interests which keep children fat.
New York, New York September 18, 2008 -- According to the CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL OBESITY FOUNDATION (CIOF), an acknowledged authority and voice regarding childhood obesity, the short-term financial benefits and incentives for fattening up children are making childhood obesity into a profit opportunity for too many, and at the ultimate expense of children's lives.
Douglas Castle, speaking for CIOF, said, "It is acknowledged by every major healthcare agency and authority in the United States and throughout the world that obesity is the greatest threat facing our children today. The obesity epidemic is the gravest threat to kids' health that we know, and a whole generation's very survival is threatened by it.
The public is being deceived and misled into believing that their funds are going toward saving kids. Meanwhile, these groups are getting richer and more powerful, and CIOF has to work even harder to get its essential humanitarian work done.We have to stay alive so that we can fight to keep children alive. The economic deck is stacked against legitimate efforts at getting youngsters from fat to fit. Our awareness, education, prediction and prevention programs need even greater resources to fight the efforts of these wolves in sheep's clothing.
"No one argues that more than one in every three children is dangerously overweight or obese. No one disputes that complications from childhood overweight are, by far, the greatest single cause of death amongst our youngsters. And it is well established that this generation of children is the first in recorded history to have a shorter life expectancy than their own parents. CIOF has been shouting this.
"The obvious question is, 'if we, as a decent society know this, why aren't we doing something to reverse the epidemic?'
"The answer is chilling," said Castle. "Too many companies, agencies and even foundations are simply making too much money by keeping kids fat. The snack food and beverage giants, the pharmaceutical companies, the pop-psychologists, the clothing manufacturers, the fad diet pundits -- even some unscrupulous healthcare providers and foundations which are actually just puppets for these same special interest groups are getting richer and richer by feeding off of this epidemic.
"These groups are either oblivious to the future of humankind, or they are engorged leeches, without any conscience. They are trading children's lives for profits and cash flow. Until there is anincentive for these profiteers to behave differently, and until they are revealed for who they really are, they will continue to confound every sincere effort to stop this killer," warned Castle.
Robert Hinnen, CIOF's Executive Director, said, "Too much money is going to these profiteers and political interests -- and not nearly enough is going to organizations like CIOF, where our agenda is completely transparent and our mission is to predict, prevent and treat obesity; in that order.
"We recently launched our September awareness and fund raising campaign to help stop the obesity epidemic, and we are competing for every single dollar with these 'so called' charities and other groups which are actually controlled by the same interests that push the products which make children fat and keep them even fatter.
"Yes, the economy is very shaky right now, but can we allow this to dictate the quality of health for our children?
"Donations are desperately needed now more than ever...We fully understand that people want to know where their money is going, especially now with what we all just witnessed with Lehman, Merrill, AIG and everyone impacted by the catastrophic changes on Wall Street...but the difference here is we don't have the option to have the Federal Reserve send 'lifeboats' for our kids, instead, CIOF has to fight for even a small fraction of the funds which actually go toward the promotion of obesity.
"My observation is that sadly very few of us realize how much harm is being done...These other players are re-routing dollars right back into the power source that is making our children sick with cardiac problems, diabetes, respiratory failure, kidney and liver diseases and even cancer.
"The public is being deceived and misled into believing that their funds are going toward saving kids. Meanwhile, these groups are getting richer and more powerful, and CIOF has to work even harder to get its essential humanitarian work done."
Hinnen continued, "We have to stay alive so that we can fight to keep children alive. The economic deck is stacked against legitimate efforts at getting youngsters from fat to fit. Our awareness, education, prediction and prevention programs need even greater resources to fight the efforts of these wolves in sheep's clothing."
To make a tax deductible gift to CIOF, visit www.ciofoundation.org and donate. You can donate by mail, or directly online, through a secured portal on the website. CIOF is funded almost entirely bycontributions from individuals and small organizations.
ABOUT CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL OBESITY FOUNDATION (CIOF) CIOF is an approved IRS Section 501(c)(3)not-for-profit public foundation and charity whose international mission it is to eliminate dangerous overweight and obesity in children and teens through prediction, prevention, support and treatment. Each year, health complications caused by overweight and obesity in children and teens are responsible for a steadily increasing mortality statistic. CIOF notes that this is the first generation of children in the United States Of America who are not expected to live as long as their parents. To learn more about this problem and what you can do to help, visit www.ciofoundation.org
New York, New York September 18, 2008 -- According to the CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL OBESITY FOUNDATION (CIOF), an acknowledged authority and voice regarding childhood obesity, the short-term financial benefits and incentives for fattening up children are making childhood obesity into a profit opportunity for too many, and at the ultimate expense of children's lives.
Douglas Castle, speaking for CIOF, said, "It is acknowledged by every major healthcare agency and authority in the United States and throughout the world that obesity is the greatest threat facing our children today. The obesity epidemic is the gravest threat to kids' health that we know, and a whole generation's very survival is threatened by it.
The public is being deceived and misled into believing that their funds are going toward saving kids. Meanwhile, these groups are getting richer and more powerful, and CIOF has to work even harder to get its essential humanitarian work done.We have to stay alive so that we can fight to keep children alive. The economic deck is stacked against legitimate efforts at getting youngsters from fat to fit. Our awareness, education, prediction and prevention programs need even greater resources to fight the efforts of these wolves in sheep's clothing.
"No one argues that more than one in every three children is dangerously overweight or obese. No one disputes that complications from childhood overweight are, by far, the greatest single cause of death amongst our youngsters. And it is well established that this generation of children is the first in recorded history to have a shorter life expectancy than their own parents. CIOF has been shouting this.
"The obvious question is, 'if we, as a decent society know this, why aren't we doing something to reverse the epidemic?'
"The answer is chilling," said Castle. "Too many companies, agencies and even foundations are simply making too much money by keeping kids fat. The snack food and beverage giants, the pharmaceutical companies, the pop-psychologists, the clothing manufacturers, the fad diet pundits -- even some unscrupulous healthcare providers and foundations which are actually just puppets for these same special interest groups are getting richer and richer by feeding off of this epidemic.
"These groups are either oblivious to the future of humankind, or they are engorged leeches, without any conscience. They are trading children's lives for profits and cash flow. Until there is anincentive for these profiteers to behave differently, and until they are revealed for who they really are, they will continue to confound every sincere effort to stop this killer," warned Castle.
Robert Hinnen, CIOF's Executive Director, said, "Too much money is going to these profiteers and political interests -- and not nearly enough is going to organizations like CIOF, where our agenda is completely transparent and our mission is to predict, prevent and treat obesity; in that order.
"We recently launched our September awareness and fund raising campaign to help stop the obesity epidemic, and we are competing for every single dollar with these 'so called' charities and other groups which are actually controlled by the same interests that push the products which make children fat and keep them even fatter.
"Yes, the economy is very shaky right now, but can we allow this to dictate the quality of health for our children?
"Donations are desperately needed now more than ever...We fully understand that people want to know where their money is going, especially now with what we all just witnessed with Lehman, Merrill, AIG and everyone impacted by the catastrophic changes on Wall Street...but the difference here is we don't have the option to have the Federal Reserve send 'lifeboats' for our kids, instead, CIOF has to fight for even a small fraction of the funds which actually go toward the promotion of obesity.
"My observation is that sadly very few of us realize how much harm is being done...These other players are re-routing dollars right back into the power source that is making our children sick with cardiac problems, diabetes, respiratory failure, kidney and liver diseases and even cancer.
"The public is being deceived and misled into believing that their funds are going toward saving kids. Meanwhile, these groups are getting richer and more powerful, and CIOF has to work even harder to get its essential humanitarian work done."
Hinnen continued, "We have to stay alive so that we can fight to keep children alive. The economic deck is stacked against legitimate efforts at getting youngsters from fat to fit. Our awareness, education, prediction and prevention programs need even greater resources to fight the efforts of these wolves in sheep's clothing."
To make a tax deductible gift to CIOF, visit www.ciofoundation.org and donate. You can donate by mail, or directly online, through a secured portal on the website. CIOF is funded almost entirely bycontributions from individuals and small organizations.
ABOUT CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL OBESITY FOUNDATION (CIOF) CIOF is an approved IRS Section 501(c)(3)not-for-profit public foundation and charity whose international mission it is to eliminate dangerous overweight and obesity in children and teens through prediction, prevention, support and treatment. Each year, health complications caused by overweight and obesity in children and teens are responsible for a steadily increasing mortality statistic. CIOF notes that this is the first generation of children in the United States Of America who are not expected to live as long as their parents. To learn more about this problem and what you can do to help, visit www.ciofoundation.org
Supersized P.E.: Ten Tips to Help Overweight Kids Get Healthy
SDSU professor teaches physical education to help overweight students reach their fitness goals
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Bags of Halloween candy are piled high in the grocery stores this week, providing a dangerous temptation for those battling obesity. For the parents of overweight children, getting their children to understand the dangers of overindulging after trick-or-treating can be even more difficult.
San Diego State University Exercise and Nutritional Sciences professor David Kahan, offers ten ways to help parents -- and teachers -- get overweight kids back on track, not just after Halloween, but for the rest of their life, in his new book "Supersized P.E."
"Being physically active every day is especially crucial for children struggling with weight issues," said Kahan, a physical education teacher and researcher. "Overweight and obese youth carry social, psychological and emotional burdens that often lead to anger, despair and ultimately, a sedentary lifestyle. Our goal is to help youth love physical activity."
Exergame Fitness is the world’s largest distributor & service provider of Exergaming and kids fitness products. They provide Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Financing Options and more. They offer the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by their 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
Supersized P.E. is designed to help parents, physical educators and leaders of physical activity programs to better understand the physical, emotional and psychological issues that reduce the overweight child's quality of life and help them learn how to be physically active for a lifetime. The book's recommendations include:
1) Set an Example: Be a good role model of overall wellness.
2) Emphasize a Child's Strengths: If it's something they enjoy or are good
at, they are much more likely to do it.
3) Foster a Positive Atmosphere that feels safe and inviting, is free of
sarcasm, insults and harassment and be a consistent source of comfort
and encouragement.
4) Focus on Behaviors, Not Outcomes: Help them control behaviors and focus
on how to change, not the results of changing.
5) Face the Facts: Denial is dangerous. Parents and teachers need to
acknowledge when a student seems to be gaining weight or is overweight.
6) Develop a Social Support Network: Find a social niche where an
overweight child is with others who share the same positive attitudes
toward physical activity and health or at least support the child's
needs and intentions.
7) Avoid the Spotlight: Overweight children should not be placed in
situations in which their physical performance is on display for all to
see and critique. It is better to offer physical activity settings in
which the overweight child can blend in and work at his or her own
pace/level.
8) Get a Doctor's Advice: Physical education programs that report a
child's body mass index (BMI) may inadvertently trigger parental
overreaction and undue stress on an overweight child. Parents should
consider having their overweight child assessed by his or her
pediatrician before undertaking an intervention.
9) Nutrition is Key: Educate young people how to make smart food choices.
Teach overweight children about serving sizes, how to select low-fat
snacks and how to recognize when they are full.
10) Reduce Screen Time: The numbers tell the story, during the average
3.47 daily hours a 100-pound child spends engaged in screen-based
media (t.v., computer, video games) he or she burns 166 calories,
contrasted with swimming (666), walking the dog briskly (687), playing
half-court basketball (937), hiking (957), etc.
Kahan said another crucial part of addressing this major societal issue is for parents to actively petition local schools to take a larger role in helping students meet fitness goals.
"That is why it is critically important for all parents to demand their children participate in quality physical education and physical activity programs, and get a minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity."
Kahan said the challenge is much greater than how to lose weight, but rather, how to help youth balance nutrition and daily physical activity.
Kahan also runs SDSU's Hardy Elementary School P.E. program, which brings SDSU students studying to become physical education teachers onto the playground to interact and help young students meet their physical fitness goals.
"Teaching this increasingly prevalent population can be a joy as well as a challenge," Kahan said. "For teachers to really help address the obesity problem they must understand what life is like for an overweight student and how they can create a positive attitude about physical activity."
Kahan said it is important that teachers, coaches, school nutrition directors, nurses, administrators, parents and community leaders all work in a coordinated effort to put good health and well-being as a top, lifelong priority for today's children and youth.
"Supersized P.E.: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Teaching Overweight Students," coauthored by Josh Trout, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Chico, is available through the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).
San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 81 areas, master's degrees in 74 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU's more than 34,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit http://www.sdsu.edu.
Contact:
Gina Speciale, Media Relations Manager
SDSU Marketing & Communications
(619) 594-4563 office; (619) 813-3581 cell
speciale@mail.sdsu.edu
Greg Block
SDSU Marketing & Communications
(619) 594-2176 office; (619) 849-9645 cell
gblock@mail.sdsu.edu
SOURCE San Diego State University
About Exergame Fitness
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
# # #
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Bags of Halloween candy are piled high in the grocery stores this week, providing a dangerous temptation for those battling obesity. For the parents of overweight children, getting their children to understand the dangers of overindulging after trick-or-treating can be even more difficult.
San Diego State University Exercise and Nutritional Sciences professor David Kahan, offers ten ways to help parents -- and teachers -- get overweight kids back on track, not just after Halloween, but for the rest of their life, in his new book "Supersized P.E."
"Being physically active every day is especially crucial for children struggling with weight issues," said Kahan, a physical education teacher and researcher. "Overweight and obese youth carry social, psychological and emotional burdens that often lead to anger, despair and ultimately, a sedentary lifestyle. Our goal is to help youth love physical activity."
Exergame Fitness is the world’s largest distributor & service provider of Exergaming and kids fitness products. They provide Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Financing Options and more. They offer the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by their 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
Supersized P.E. is designed to help parents, physical educators and leaders of physical activity programs to better understand the physical, emotional and psychological issues that reduce the overweight child's quality of life and help them learn how to be physically active for a lifetime. The book's recommendations include:
1) Set an Example: Be a good role model of overall wellness.
2) Emphasize a Child's Strengths: If it's something they enjoy or are good
at, they are much more likely to do it.
3) Foster a Positive Atmosphere that feels safe and inviting, is free of
sarcasm, insults and harassment and be a consistent source of comfort
and encouragement.
4) Focus on Behaviors, Not Outcomes: Help them control behaviors and focus
on how to change, not the results of changing.
5) Face the Facts: Denial is dangerous. Parents and teachers need to
acknowledge when a student seems to be gaining weight or is overweight.
6) Develop a Social Support Network: Find a social niche where an
overweight child is with others who share the same positive attitudes
toward physical activity and health or at least support the child's
needs and intentions.
7) Avoid the Spotlight: Overweight children should not be placed in
situations in which their physical performance is on display for all to
see and critique. It is better to offer physical activity settings in
which the overweight child can blend in and work at his or her own
pace/level.
8) Get a Doctor's Advice: Physical education programs that report a
child's body mass index (BMI) may inadvertently trigger parental
overreaction and undue stress on an overweight child. Parents should
consider having their overweight child assessed by his or her
pediatrician before undertaking an intervention.
9) Nutrition is Key: Educate young people how to make smart food choices.
Teach overweight children about serving sizes, how to select low-fat
snacks and how to recognize when they are full.
10) Reduce Screen Time: The numbers tell the story, during the average
3.47 daily hours a 100-pound child spends engaged in screen-based
media (t.v., computer, video games) he or she burns 166 calories,
contrasted with swimming (666), walking the dog briskly (687), playing
half-court basketball (937), hiking (957), etc.
Kahan said another crucial part of addressing this major societal issue is for parents to actively petition local schools to take a larger role in helping students meet fitness goals.
"That is why it is critically important for all parents to demand their children participate in quality physical education and physical activity programs, and get a minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity."
Kahan said the challenge is much greater than how to lose weight, but rather, how to help youth balance nutrition and daily physical activity.
Kahan also runs SDSU's Hardy Elementary School P.E. program, which brings SDSU students studying to become physical education teachers onto the playground to interact and help young students meet their physical fitness goals.
"Teaching this increasingly prevalent population can be a joy as well as a challenge," Kahan said. "For teachers to really help address the obesity problem they must understand what life is like for an overweight student and how they can create a positive attitude about physical activity."
Kahan said it is important that teachers, coaches, school nutrition directors, nurses, administrators, parents and community leaders all work in a coordinated effort to put good health and well-being as a top, lifelong priority for today's children and youth.
"Supersized P.E.: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Teaching Overweight Students," coauthored by Josh Trout, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Chico, is available through the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).
San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 81 areas, master's degrees in 74 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU's more than 34,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit http://www.sdsu.edu.
Contact:
Gina Speciale, Media Relations Manager
SDSU Marketing & Communications
(619) 594-4563 office; (619) 813-3581 cell
speciale@mail.sdsu.edu
Greg Block
SDSU Marketing & Communications
(619) 594-2176 office; (619) 849-9645 cell
gblock@mail.sdsu.edu
SOURCE San Diego State University
About Exergame Fitness
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
# # #
IN MOTION introduces Edutainment and exergaming in Dubai - Exergame Fitness USA
IN MOTION introduces Edutainment and exergaming in Dubai
The rate of childhood obesity in the Middle East has risen rapidly.
United Arab Emirates: 4 hours, 1 minute ago PRESS RELEASE
So goes a report from the latest findings by the International Obesity Task Force.
And from all indications, this condition is expected to rise in the coming years.
To stop this growing menace, IN MOTION, a newly established Dubai company specializing in health and fitness routine launches a new form of edutainment (coined from 'educational entertainment') for kids and parents.
IN MOTION accomplishes this by coming up with the first of its kind Exergame Fitness Club that consist of the latest exergaming (blend of 'exercise and gaming') equipment along with an integrated educational curriculum that teaches practical strategies to improve physical activity and eating habits.
By doing so, today's problem on inactivity among the youth, which eventually leads to obesity, is properly taken care of. Special bonding moments with parents and children will also be enhanced because exergaming equipment for adults will also be available.
Aside from the IN MOTION Club, the company will also establish satellite health clubs in public areas but with limited equipment. IN MOTION will also be involved in the distribution of Exergames and other fitness equipment for kids in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
With these turn of developments, it only proves that IN MOTION is serious in helping the Middle East region curb obesity among children and growing teens.
To get a better view of IN MOTION and its interactive exergames equipment, visit our stall in the 1st Dubai World Gaming Expo at the Dubai International Exhibition & Convention Center Stand 1107 from October 28 - 30 from 10 am to 18 pm.
Distribution Opportunities:
If interested in selling or representing the Exergame Fitness products or services please visit our website at www.exergamefitness.com or call 877.668.4664 for more information.
About Exergame Fitness
Exergame Fitness – a Motion Fitness Company is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergaming, Exerlearning, Kids Fitness Products & Programming to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more.
Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.
# # #
'Exergame' gym targets 30-minute workouts at the family - Exergame Fitness
Circuit Wellness features stations such as an exercise bike connected to an ATV-riding Sony Playstation game.
Who would have thought that working out could be so much fun?
Circuit Wellness, a new gym located at 6754 Cleveland Ave., is hoping their 30-minute workout concept as well as "exergames" -- video games that bring a workout for the gamer -- will appeal to the entire family.
Owner Polly Benson, who lives in Westerville with her husband and three children, said everyone except bodybuilders training for the Arnold Classic would be interested in their services.
"We're not here to bulk people up as much as to get them tone and in shape," she said.
The majority of Circuit Wellness is occupied by 24 adjustable stations that alternate between strength, cardio and recovery activities and are used for 30 seconds each. Benson said the system is similar to Curves, but designed for both sexes and uses more advanced machines.
Found along the perimeter of the 2,000 square foot room are six stations hosting exergames. Some, like the Nintendo Wii and Dance Dance Revolution, are well known to the public. Others include XaviX, which uses controllers shaped like sports equipment, the Makoto Sports Arena, a game that improves hand-eye coordination by hitting three lighted targets, Lightspace Play Floor, a large electronic mat that features a wide-variety of foot-moving games, and a Playstation ATV racing game that's connected to an exercise bike.
Benson said the games are unique not just to Westerville, but all of Ohio.
"We're the only approved exergame center in Ohio," Benson said.
Besides memberships, Benson said the space will also be available for classes, private rentals, corporate accounts and even birthday parties.
The idea to open an exercise facility came to Benson, she said, after seeing the obesity crisis firsthand. She used to work as an occupational therapist and her husband works in nutrition.
Benson said two-thirds of adults and one third of children in the United States are overweight. For the first time, children are not expected to outlive their parents.
Located in the shopping center anchored by Raisin Rack at the southeast corner of Schrock Road and Cleveland Avenue, Benson said the location is great because of its visibility along busy Cleveland Avenue just north of Interstate 270, and because the previous business in the space sold exercise equipment.
Competing against gyms that are much larger and significantly less expensive, Benson said clients will choose Circuit Wellness due to its unique services, personalized care, convenience and family-friendly environment.
"We're not for everyone, but there's a wide enough population out there that will appreciate our services," she said.
Due to competition Benson said she could not disclose full details on rates but said memberships for children start at $25 a month and families of four for $99. A grand opening special includes no enrollment fees and a two-week, no-obligation free trial.
Opening a new business during the economic uncertainty is difficult, but Benson said she believes people will pay to stay healthy.
"It's a little bit scary starting a business with the economy the way it is, but exercise is an investment in your future," Benson said. "If you're unhealthy you won't be able to enjoy any economy."
Circuit Wellness was launched in September 2008. President and CEO Polly Benson joined forces with her husband Brian, Exergame Fitness and friends, to create the Circuit Wellness fitness club concept. “There is a growing need for accessible, neighborhood, user-friendly fitness centers,” said Benson. “Partnering with Exergame Fitness who is known as the leader in the industry of Exergaming, on a new health club concept is a winning idea to help more Americans achieve their individual fitness goals.”
Tom Seilheimer VP of Exergame Fitness adds;
“Polly and Brian Benson’s hard work is very evident in their completed business model. From day one, they were focused on making a difference in the lives of kids in the central Ohio region. We were very pleased to work with Circuit Wellness on this amazing new facility that offers kids an alternative fitness solution while playing fitness based videogames. We have seen the success of many Exergaming facilities and this club houses some of the top products in the world that are fighting the raging epidemic of childhood obesity. Please stop in and see what this facility can offer your children, we guarantee it will make a difference in their lives”
The new Westerville Circuit Wellness location is open Monday through Friday from 6:30am to 8:30pm, Saturday from 8:00-2:00 for Circuit Workouts, and Saturday & Sunday, from 2:00 – 6 pm for birthday parties. For a tour of the fitness center, call 614-901-2348. For more information on the company, go to www.circuitwellness.com.
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For more information visit circuitwellness.com or call 614-901-BFIT.
Brain Rules by Dr John Medina
If you have not had a chance to read Brain Rules by Dr John Medina – take the time to watch this video – by the time you get done watching this video – you will begin to realize how important cardio vascular fitness it to brain function – you probably don’t have time to watch this video, at least watch part of it – a real challenge – try and get a school administrator to watch it……very educational – this video puts PE on the educational map….
Phil Lawler
PE4Life
Phil Lawler
PE4Life
