Obesity game

7 Healthcast: Obesity game

Posted: 12/12/07

In Mr. Kovac's fifth grade class, kids are allowed to play- board games and puppet shows, and even computer games. They may not realize they're not only learning reading and writing skills, but also how to eat better.

"I think it's fun, yet it's teaching you how to make the right decisions," said fifth grader Sam Sherman.

The game is called the Amazing Food Detective. Players must make the right food choices before they're allowed to play a video game, which also drives home the same message.

"Kids should actually eat healthier instead of laying on the couch all day and watching TV," said fifth grader Asia Frazier. "They should get more exercise and get outside."

About nine million kids in the U.S. are obese. That's why after twenty minutes the game stops and tells the kids to get out and do something.

In days, the kids started playing the game in real life.

"After about a week of doing the program, I noticed the kids bringing in more veggies and fruits and things," said the kids' teacher, Bob Kovacs.

"I am cutting my hours of watching TV and playing video games and I'm getting more exercise by playing soccer," Frazier said.

It's a lesson in the game of life that hopefully they'll keep.

One of the kids said the game made him realize he didn't need to eat all of his Halloween candy, so he donated most of it to a food bank.

(Copyright 2007 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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