Childhood obesity is growing and its associated medical problems are recognized as one of the most important health issues in children and adolescents in the United States. From 1995 to 2004, the prevalence has increased in boys from 14% to 24% and in girls from 15% to 26%. As obesity increases, rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol (lipid) disorders are increasing. It is also particularly alarming that the blood pressure of children and adolescents has increased over the past decade.
As one of 12 national recipients of a Microsoft Be Well Fund grant, the Columbus Research Foundation and Columbus Regional Medical Center are developing a Microsoft® HealthVault™ application and associated web resources to develop a program for 7th grade students in Columbus, GA to learn positive lifestyle choices and follow and record their own personal lifestyle modifications. The goal of the project is to improve the diet choices and level of activity of the children. This competition is city-wide and includes all public 7th grade classes. The program will use caloric intake, personal activity, and an interactive map of the United States to show students how far their class has walked as a group along the path from Columbus, GA to Microsoft headquarters in Bellevue, WA.
This program is an opportunity for 7th grade students in Columbus, Georgia to learn positive lifestyle choices, follow and record their own personal lifestyle modifications and compete in a city-wide program for lifestyle improvement. Each student will create an account and design an avatar to resemble them. They will then record their daily meals and snacks which will make the avatar either shrink or grow depending on what was consumed that day.
The project will launch in January of 2009.
Follow the progress of the Columbus Be Well Fund Grant Project at http://walktomicrosoft.com/default.html
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