New Zamzee for Groups Program Curriculum Helps Instructors Increase Youth Physical Activity
Redwood City, CA (PRWEB) November 21, 2013 -- Zamzee Co.®, a social enterprise dedicated to using technology to increase kids’ physical activity, today announced the launch of the Zamzee for GroupsTM Program Curriculum. The new Program Curriculum is a practical instructor’s guide that makes it easy for health programs to implement new technology that makes physical activity more fun. When paired with the Zamzee physical activity tracker and motivational website, the Program Curriculum is a powerful intervention to increase physical activity and improve kids’ health.
The Program Curriculum is a complete syllabus for increasing physical activity presented in a lesson-plan-style format that is teachable by any instructor using Zamzee for Groups. It includes comprehensive lesson plans, classroom handouts, physical activity games and keepsake awards that make weight management programs educational and fun.
“We developed this curriculum to make it easy for group leaders to quickly start teaching Zamzee and maximize its impact in program settings,” said Kimberly Young, a practicing health educator and lead collaborator on the Program Curriculum. “I saw more than a 50 percent increase in program completion rates when I used Zamzee with my own students. This curriculum makes it easier for other health educators to achieve the same, or even better, results.”
Because of the rise in childhood obesity rates, healthcare and community organizations across the country have created weight management programs to help families make the changes necessary to lead healthier lifestyles. The vision of Zamzee Co. is that technology can be incorporated into these programs to make them more relevant and appealing to kids. Research by HopeLab and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation confirms this approach works: kids using Zamzee in a randomized, controlled study boosted their physical activity levels by 59 percent compared to a control group. The study also showed other outcomes including a positive impact on LDL cholesterol and glycated hemoglobin, key biomarkers for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
“We use game-based technology to improve health outcomes because we believe that if you lead with fun, health will follow,” said Lance Henderson, CEO of Zamzee Co. “The new Program Curriculum provides a framework that makes it easy for health educators to implement our research-proven technology and make their programs more fun and appealing for today’s kids. Engaging kids through fun technology like Zamzee can increase the overall impact of the program on kids’ health.”
The Zamzee for Groups Program Curriculum is available to hospital, school and non-profit programs using Zamzee for Groups for programs of 25 or more participants. To find out more and download a free preview, go to http://www.zamzee.com/curriculum.
About Zamzee:
Zamzee is a social enterprise on a mission to make it easier for tweens and families to be more physically active. The Zamzee meter and motivational website is the result of several years of research and design based on feedback from kids and families. The Zamzee meter is sold for $29.95; access to the Zamzee website and rewards are free of charge. Zamzee was established in 2010 by HopeLab, a nonprofit research organization that uses the power and appeal of technology to improve the health of kids. Initial research and development of Zamzee was conducted by HopeLab, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For more information, please visit http://www.zamzee.com.
Robin Raskob, Zamzee, http://www.zamzee.com, +1 650-569-5982, [email protected]
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