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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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.