Enhancing Healthy Habits Among Overweight and Obese Children Through Serious Games: Technological Comparison

Obesity that already manifests in childhood results in excess adult mortality estimated at between 50 and 80%. The medical community has developed an understanding of obesity as a chronic condition that must be managed on a continually basis. An integrated system based on ICT, including games adapted to the age and profile of the children, can support them and their families in the prevention of obesity and the acquisition of healthy habits. In this paper several serious games will be analyzed according to different technological criteria that define a price range of the game.. It is important to point out the potential of games to foster desirable health-related behaviors through motivational reinforcement, personalized teaching approaches, and social networking, as well as more effective utilization of obesity-related nutrition and lifestyle information.