Games and Obesity Monday, January 15, 2007 8:08:46 AM 
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They can make us dance, they can make us drive, and some even make us rock-stars.
Dr. Butch Rosser, Director Of Advanced Medical Institute at Beth Israel Hospital said, "Video games have a tremendous ability to draw the attention and focus of children."
Dr. Rosser says that focus can actually benefit children.
"In the research I have done “Dance Dance Revolution” and the “I Toy” games can increase your heart rate into a cardiovascular fitness level," Dr. Rosser said.
Dr. Rosser says this is important in fighting obesity, a subject very close to his heart. You see, as a child Dr. Rosser was morbidly obese. He eventually had gastric bypass surgery, something he does not want future generations to rely on.
Dr. Rosser says video games do not have to be physical like DDR to improve children's health. He actually appears in a video game of his own called “Body Mechanics.” In this game super-heroes battle bad guys such as diabetes, cholesterol, and obesity.
Dr. Rosser says even “Guitar Hero” has benefits.
"If you look at the left hand, right hand dexterity you have to have, that translates into flying, driving cars, manning robots, being a laparoscopic surgeon like me," Dr. Rosser said.
Gamer William Seagroves said, "You need coordination in life like when you're playing baseball."
Seagroves, 13-years old, says he spends more time playing video games than playing outdoors.
So, how does he feel after playing a round of Guitar Hero?
"Like I just ran a marathon," Seagroves said.
That leads some to believe certain video games are quite possibly the exercise of the future.
You can play these "healthy" video games along with favorites from the past couple of decades at the Otronicon Exhibit at the Orlando Science Center.
That exhibit runs through Sunday, January 21. Check it out at
http://www.otronicon.org/
That's a look at Your Fitness,
Nancy Gay Central Florida News 13.
Childhood Obesity