Now if only Cheetoes had negative calories
West Virginia, the state with the highest prevalence of obesity among its children, will introduce the video game Dance Dance Revolution as part of its curriculum, based on an insurance company's study.
A group of kids, aged 7 to 12, did 30 minutes of DDR five times a week while a control group did not play DDR. The control group gained an average of 6 pounds during the 24 week study while the DDR group maintained their weight. I can't find anything indicating that they monitored BMI or body fat. Considering that most 7- to 12-year-olds will grow over six to seven months, if they maintained their weight, it's very likely that overall, they lost fat and gained muscle while going through their natural growth spurts during this time.
Anecdotally, I've watched my friends playing this game (hello, I am lazy) and thirty straight minutes will, quite frankly, kick your ass. And this lady credits the game with helping her lose 95 pounds over the course of several years.
So, not only are kids of all sizes rocking out to DJ Sammy and Gwen Stefani, but they are feeling better about themselves and learning that it feels good to move. And the only cost to the school is a few X-boxes and a couple of dozen dance pads.
I'd like to see a "You Are Fat" billboard achieve that.
A group of kids, aged 7 to 12, did 30 minutes of DDR five times a week while a control group did not play DDR. The control group gained an average of 6 pounds during the 24 week study while the DDR group maintained their weight. I can't find anything indicating that they monitored BMI or body fat. Considering that most 7- to 12-year-olds will grow over six to seven months, if they maintained their weight, it's very likely that overall, they lost fat and gained muscle while going through their natural growth spurts during this time.
Anecdotally, I've watched my friends playing this game (hello, I am lazy) and thirty straight minutes will, quite frankly, kick your ass. And this lady credits the game with helping her lose 95 pounds over the course of several years.
Prior to the study, most of the children reported feeling awkward about participating in gym and physical activity at school. Following the study, children from the group reported feeling more confident and willing to try other exercises.
So, not only are kids of all sizes rocking out to DJ Sammy and Gwen Stefani, but they are feeling better about themselves and learning that it feels good to move. And the only cost to the school is a few X-boxes and a couple of dozen dance pads.
I'd like to see a "You Are Fat" billboard achieve that.
posted by Weetabix at 6:27 AM
6 Comments:
It'd be great to see more video games like this that combine physical exercise and mental concentration. I think the release of the Wii gaming console which requires physical interaction is a step in the right direction. Now I'm off to steal the PS2 back from my brother and get the DDR pad out of the closet.
While I keep searching for the right elliptical trainer, I should completely get this game! I have a PS2 already!
I wish they'd done this when I was a kid. Instead I had a bitch gym coach who taunted me and singlehandedly made me hate exercise.
I tried the Wii for the first time yesterday at work. I'm saving up to buy one ASAP. What a great way for anyone, but kids especially, to combine physical activity with something more "fun" than running laps around the gymnasium or doing the rope climb.
I'm poor so instead of an xbox I bought tha pad that connects directly to the TV. The music is just like listening to a videogame from the 80s but it's really a good cardio workout.
Yay for Mo! And yay for Disneyland. (Locating your WW group near D-land while on vacay. Boy, am I impressed.)
I have a question for you all, as I too, am engaged in a quest for the perfect elliptical b/c I'm not sure I can do DDR.
I have a torn meniscus from tae kwon do. Doesn't DDR hurt your knees? (It seems like all the little kids who do it, although some may be overweight, have whole menisci.)
I've been wanting to get a (used) PS2 and DDR for a while, but I don't want to become the annoying upstairs neighbor in my building. I'm already self-conscious about stumbling around in the kitchen on weekend mornings, I don't think I need to be bouncing around on a mat.
I can go check out an arcade DDR near me though. There's a movie theater nearby that has DDR in the lobby, and it shouldn't be too crowded on weeknights.
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