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Games For Health

Games are an innovative medium for delivering health education or involving participants in the actual health behaviors (e.g. exergames). Games have been developed for a broad variety of health concerns and have been demonstrated to facilitate change to a healthier dietary intake increased physical activity enhanced rehabilitation outcomes increased compliance with cancer and diabetes regimens enhanced training for conducting medical procedures among a variety of other outcomes. We are in the earliest stages of designing video games for health outcomes but early results are promising.

Learning Objectives

Participants in this webinar will be able to report that:

Video games have been shown to change diet and physical activity increase compliance with medical regimens reduce stress among a variety of other health outcomes.

Video games often engage participants through story lines into which behavior change procedures can be inserted but fun and enjoyment are the key factors maintaining participation.

What constitutes fun and enjoyment is not clear.

Extensive research is needed to better understand how and how much change can be due to video games.

Presenter Tom Baranowski Ph.D.

Professor of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine

Tom Baranowski Ph.D. is Professor of Pediatrics and Senior Member of the Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity group within the USDA funded Children?s Nutrition Research Center Department of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine Houston Texas USA. Tom is principal investigator for two currently funded grants including a large outcome evaluation of the diabetes and obesity read more . . .