TheProblem The World Health Organization has recognized the consequences that obesity presents to our society’s future. This is an issue that is not only affecting men and women, but our children as well. Approximately one third of children in developed countries are either overweight or obese. Since kids are our future, it’s vital to tackle this issue early on.
There are three factors that cause childhood obesity: Technology Eating Habits Parenting
Technology Over the last years, modern recreation has changed drastically. There has been an increase in smart devices and video games. The time children use for leisure is spent in front of a screen, not in the outdoors. Most of their waking hours are consumed while sitting down watching TV, playing on their phones or tablets. In turn, they are physically inactive so they burn less calories a day. Meanwhile, their eyes flirt with ads about junk food, and they’re only an arm’s length away from an unhealthy snack.
Eating Habits Modern eating also needs to share the blame here. Food portions have increased in size in the last decades. Furthermore, junk food has become alarmingly convenient. There has been, however, a surge of attention drawn towards what constitutes our diet. But there is simply not enough education about the subject.
Parenting Unfortunately, parents fuel the obesity epidemic in children as well. They are enablers by purchasing more fast food and new video games. So it’s important to instill healthy lifestyles in children while also engaging and educating parents. But how do we achieve that when kids have no enthusiasm for physical activity? How do we carry this out when healthy behavior is less convenient and more expensive?
OurInsight Apps have become a recreational anchor in children’s lives due to advances in technology. Every one has a smart phone or smart device, and they can play with their friends conveniently. It’s safe to say that children love video games. They can become incredibly committed to “getting to the next level” as we’ve seen with recent gaming phenomena such as “Candy Crush” or “Call of Duty.” Competition fuels kids to keep playing due to the instant gratification that comes with winning each round. On the other hand, parents are enablers. They play an important role in contributing to their kid’s recreational activities. So parents can make a great impact - positive or negative - on how kids allocate time on physical and virtual recreation. However, it’s important to note that parents lack two things: time and control over their children’s fitness. They don’t know, for example, what their kids are eating at school, or how much exercise they’re getting done. Parents might not even be educated well enough on what’s healthy to eat.
TheStrategy Gaming has become predominant in children’s way of recreation. The reason why they lack enthusiasm for physical activity is because it’s not relevant within their lifestyle anymore. The solution needs to fit in that way of life. By using their love for competition and gaming as fuel, we can make physical activity relevant again. And we can do that through technology because of its convenience (everyone, even kids have smart phones and smart devices). Wearable technology is a market filled with promise and untapped potential. Professional soccer teams are already using wearable technology to track athletes’ fitness levels. So why not use that kind of technology to track children’s health? Our idea is to use a wristband to collect the data. The collected data will be transferred to an app, Moxxie. Moxxie is a game that calls for children to fuel their in-game avatars with actual physical activity. They bring the adventures they experience in the game to the outside world by requiring them to charge the game themselves. The children’s app comes with a competitive component to it as well. This way, kids can compete amongst themselves to give Moxxie a new dimension of fun and replay value. The advantage that comes with this technology is that it can communicate with the kids and parents separately. A tied-in parent app will track their children’s activity levels. This should engage parents by notifying them about their kid’s achievements - both in the game and in reality. Parents can also interact with the kids by sending positive reinforcements. They can reward them with coins for healthy activities such as doing exercise or eating their vegetables. But most importantly, this side of the app will provide tips to educate parents about healthy snacks and behavior for their kids. Moxxie offers peace of mind for parents while also triggering a change in how kids use their time for recreation.
TheGame Moxxie is a game designed to give a sense of adventure, fluid movement, and joy to its players. The gamer’s avatar is designed to create a bond between character and child. This should bring the feeling of adventure closer to the user. Several aspects from previous popular games have been considered in Moxxie’s conception to make it a lively experience. Players will take one world at a time, exploring vivid landscapes such as underwater caverns or cloud islands. They suit up as an adventurer from Earth who has discovered a new world with secrets that are yet to be unlocked. The players are presented with obstacles such as enemies and puzzles to get to the level’s finish line. One of the levels a player can stumble upon, for example, is a dark haunted forest. To travel through, the gamer’s character needs to find a carrot power-up that gives it maximized vision.
POWER UPS BANANA
SUPER SPEED
SPRING-NACH DOUBLE JUMP
CARROT-VISION SEE HIDEN COINS
So for instance, in order to unlock the carrot, a child would have to perform actual physical activity monitored by the MoxxieBand. Throughout the Moxxie game, the player collects coins by roaming through each level. Many of the game’s aspects are present to add longevity and replay value to the app. Both casual and competitive features are implemented so players can enjoy different angles of the journey. They can compete over finish time records, amount of coins collected, and rating of level completion. Players can also unlock new avatar gear, clothes, pets, and amongst other things to keep the fun alive and fresh.
My Moxxie
JUMPING JACK:
20 repetitions will earn you 1 bar of energy.
My Moxxie
TheGame All the while, the app engages parents through push notifications. They are informed about their children’s progress in the game and their fitness activity. Moxxie will allow them to adopt a supporting role in the player’s journey. Depending on what they consider appropriate, parents can reward the players for healthy behavior. They can send them extra coins or necessary power-ups to overcome each level. For example, if a child eats vegetables with their meal, a parent can allot a number of coins to the child’s game.This positive reinforcement system can motivate their children to build good habits, and would also educate parents on the subject. The parent app would also provide healthy suggestions for their kid’s diet.
Sponsorships & Partnership Opportunities With a wide variety of partners ranging from health food companies to athletic brands, to even the government, the Moxxie band will come at no cost to kids or their parents. The interconnected app is also free and will be available in the App Store and Google Play. Through the app, our partners will be able to promote their healthy products to kids in an integrated, healthy manner. Product packaging from our partners and sponsors will feature the Moxxie band so parents not only know our wearable ticket to a healthier lifestyle is inside, but that the product is healthy and the company supports a nutritious lifestyle.
moxxie. fun that fits.
THANK YOU!
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