Serious game to combat childhood obesity using Kinect

Abstract

Obesity and overweight can lead to serious health problems, and when it occurs in childhood it is likely to prevail in the following stages of life unless something is done about it. Serious games are specially designed with an educational purpose, and videogames are included. This paper describes a videogame based on the traditional game of Jump Rope, developed with the purpose to fight childhood obesity, and implemented with the technology Kinect of Microsoft. Tests were performed with children from the East of the State of Yucatan, showing that the game promotes physical activity and teaches healthy foods.