The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently updated their kid-geared website (mypyramid.gov/kids) and created a new computer game called \MyPyramid Blastoff"" that aims to curtail unhealthy eating practices among American youth.
It was designed to go along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new children's food pyramid that emphasizes not only a balanced diet of grains, vegetables, fruits, calcium, protein and oil, but also 60 minutes of exercise per day.
The objective of the game is to get your rocket to blast off and land on Planet Power by fueling the rocket with not only a variety of healthy foods, but also the right amounts of each food group. You have to create a nutritious breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner that are rich in all categories of the food pyramid.
You also need to choose activities from a list that amount to 60 minutes worth of exercise.
If your meals have sufficiently covered all the basic food groups and you have met the fuel and activity criteria, your rocket will reach Planet Power where you will be greeted by a smiling astronaut and fireworks.
It actually took me a while to get to this screen.
I found it surprising that the USDA intended this game to be played by kids ages 6 to 11 because it was somewhat challenging for me as a 21-year-old. The younger children in this age range would definitely need assistance from someone older who not only has the reading and math skills necessary to play the game, but also could explain to the child why eating nutritiously is important in daily living and how this can be done effectively.
Although MyPyramid Blastoff is a creative way to draw children's attention to improved eating habits, it doesn't offer any real type of solution to healthier living. Will loading a rocket with nutritional foods and watching it blast into space while sitting on their butt in front of the computer really make kids any healthier?
Furthermore, how many kids (or parents) will actively seek out this game online?
Both children and adults know what foods are ""good"" and ""bad"" for them. Yet, this knowledge does not directly translate into a more balanced diet.
Awareness is only part of the solution. This awareness must be put into action.
Schools play a major role in children's lives and should offer healthy meals in the cafeteria as well as ban junk food from vending machines. Teachers should also place a greater emphasis on the importance of healthy eating habits and make it part of the students' curriculum. The Pyramid Blastoff game could actually be used as a facilitative tool in the classroom setting to increase and promote health awareness.
Another major contributor to increased obesity rates among children is the bombardment of junk food advertisements on the television. These should be banned or at least substantially lessened. Companies also need to find ways to market healthier foods in a more appealing way.
Additionally, parents need to take the initiative in becoming familiar with what a balanced diet consists of and learn how to make their children meals incorporating all the essential food groups.
It is obvious that something needs to be done about the obesity epidemic, but MyPyramid Blastoff, although creative, is not the answer. It is going to take a lot more than a health-enthused astronaut and his rocket ship to decrease children's skyrocketing obesity rates.
Besides being greeted by a smiling astronaut and fireworks, Kat enjoys receiving e-mails at krpeterson@wisc.edu.
