UnitedHealthcare and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today are bringing the DanceDanceRevolution (DDR CE) Classroom Edition “exergame” to the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, where local youths will use the popular dance game to have fun and improve their fitness.
Today’s event is part of a collaboration with KONAMI and the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada to help reduce childhood obesity through exergaming, which refers to video games that are also a form of exercise. This is the first DDR CE unit available to children in Nevada.
“Finding new ways to improve the health and well-being of young people in Las Vegas is crucial for the future of our community,” said Pat Skorkowsky, superintendent for Clark County. “By making exercise both fun and accessible, this program will help our city’s youths get more active and improve their fitness.”
This program builds on UnitedHealthcare’s expertise in developing practical solutions to help tackle childhood obesity. UnitedHealthcare and KONAMI have been working together to bring exergaming to youths across the nation by offering DDR CE units nationwide.
More than a third of Nevada children, and children nationwide, are either overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among all Nevada residents, the state ranks 17th for physical inactivity and 18th for obesity, according to UnitedHealth Foundation’s 2013 America’s Health Rankings.
“The DDR Classroom Edition helps teach kids that physical activity can be fun and enjoyable, while fostering the development of healthy attitudes and habits that can last a lifetime,” said Laurine Tibaldi, M.D., FHM, chief medical officer, UnitedHealthcare of Nevada. “Our partnership with KONAMI and the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada engages young people in improving their health and represents an important step toward reducing childhood obesity in our state.”
Date: February 20, 2014