Online, educational games tackle childhood obesity

Behavioral-based print and digital tools aimed at tackling childhood obesity interactively have been unveiled by a company called Fitwits, developed by designers at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Design.

Through a combination of online social gaming and person-to-person exchanges, the startup provide families, educators and health care professionals with the means to help children aged 6 to 11 years develop lifelong healthy eating habits.

“Fitwits changes the dynamic between health care providers, families and kids, and we see the evidence: better-educated children and families, waist reduction, increased physical activity, and physicians feeling more comfortable and confident delivering obesity education,” Kristin Hughes, Fitwits creator and associate professor at the School of Design, said in a press release.

Part of the university’s Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation, the company offers three product groups: Fitwits Games, for parents and children to learn together; Fitwits Educator, for teachers; and Fitwits MD, for physicians, with flash cards to use during visits.

Backed by $1 million in investments, including grants from The Heinz Endowments, Eat ’n Park Hospitality Group, Innovation Works and Carnegie Mellon University, Fitwits was developed with input from physicians, nutrition specialists, families in weight management clinics and school personnel. It is now in a national trial with a global health insurance provider, according to the release.

“Behavior modification is something that, when learned early, can last a lifetime,” Hughes said. “Through Fitwits, we're helping families try healthy behaviors through gaming, with the end result being a lifelong commitment to a healthier lifestyle.”

For More Information:

Fitwits - fitwits.org