"We hope that the novel aspect of the technology will interest them so they choose to stand and move, rather than look for a place to sit," says Dr. Lanningham-Foster. "Kids will stand at a video arcade; why not at a computerized learning center?"
"Apple is proud to be part of this important study," said John Couch, Apple's vice president of education. "We are thrilled that our products and solutions can add to this effort and help transform teaching and learning to meet the needs of today's students."
"This could be the critical step in preventing childhood obesity," says Jim Hill, president of America on the Move, a Boston-based, non-profit organization that promotes active living.
"We are seeing a generation that is increasingly sedentary and inactive," says Greg Lappin, general manager of the Rochester Athletic Club, site of the experiment. "We're excited about playing a role in something that could help turn around this national problem."
The Scientific Foundation
The Mayo Clinic research supporting this project has been amassed over 10 years of international studies and has been termed NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/mayo/research/levine_lab/. NEAT is the energy a person burns during regular, daily activities. Mayo's published findings show that NEAT is remarkably important in obesity.
"Initially this concept of a chairless school was viewed as a crazy, unachievable idea," says Dr. Levine. "But then I started to ask for help. Every organization I approached simply said, 'YES.' I could not believe it. Then I realized that they all wanted to be part of this for the same reason we did -- it is for our children."
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14-Mar-2006