Exergaming, the newest intervention in a medical fitness center

An important component in a pediatric obesity program is physical activity, both as an assessment of fitness and for overall exercise. Children who tend to be referred to such programs tend to dislike PE, exercise, and traditional forms of physical activity. Exergaming (interactive video games) is a new tool that can get these hard-to-motivate kids moving. Some programs, such as the Family Fit Zone program, have been incorporating exergaming for the last two years. The Family Fit Zone program is a 7-week family program for kids ages 6 to 14 who are referred by their pediatrician for weight management. Most are above the 85th-percentile on the BMI curve. Patients who have a state-run Medi-Cal program called Inland Empire Health Plan and are at or above the 85th-percentile are fully covered by this insurance plan. This session will cover the curriculum, discuss how exergaming is used in the program, and discuss some of the challenges in using this form of physical intervention. Preliminary results will be presented on a study just completed on this program.