Some people say today’s tech-savvy kids spend too much time on their tablets or smartphones, but a new website application is using screen time to help kids get fit.
Memphis FitKids helps parents understand their child’s risk of obesity, gives tips for healthy eating and activities, and connects parents with community health resources.
Created by professors from the University of Memphis, the app can be downloaded to an iPad or personal computer, or accessed via interactive kiosks that have been installed in kid-centered areas like pediatricians’ offices and YMCAs.
Parents can access a variety of tools designed to get kids up and moving, from a Growth Chart and Fit Assessment to the color-coded map of local gyms, parks and playgrounds.
“We’re trying to increase the parents’ awareness about their family’s health habits,” says FitKids Director Kenneth D. Ward. “Many of them don’t have the time or skills to make these changes. This allows them to track their progress, whether they want to increase their physical activity or spend more time eating together as a family.”
Learn more about FitKids here.
