UnitedHealthcare and Hasbro Bring NERF ENERGY Game to Kids to Encourage Greater Physical Activity
November 02 2016 - 12:08PM
Business Wire
- Children in Buffalo among first to
get NERF ENERGY Game Kits, ahead of national roll-out
- Part of Hasbro’s and
UnitedHealthcare’s efforts to help reduce youth obesity through
“exergaming” and education
- Healthy competition among Buffalo
middle-schoolers kicks off initiative in New York; schools compete
for “healthy school” recognition
UnitedHealthcare and Hasbro are collaborating on a national
initiative to encourage young people to be more active through
“exergaming.” More than 200 fifth-graders at P.S. 94 and P.S. 76 in
the City of Buffalo are among the first students to receive NERF
ENERGY Game Kits, which monitors and rewards students for being
physically active.
NERF ENERGY Game Kits, which include a NERF ENERGY Game Band
activity tracker, a NERF PRO FOAM soccer ball and the NERF ENERGY
RUSH mobile game, allow children to pick their own method of being
active. As children participate in physical activity, they earn
“energy points” that are tracked by the game band, and these points
turn into screen time to play the mobile game on a smartphone or
tablet. The interactive NERF ENERGY RUSH mobile game is an “endless
runner” game that requires players to turn, jump and avoid
obstacles to complete courses and earn power-ups to continue
playing.
“Hasbro has long focused on making ‘healthy, active play’ fun
and engaging for children and families by leveraging the popularity
and play pattern of NERF products,” said Ted Fischer, vice
president, business development for Hasbro. “This collaboration
enhances both companies’ commitment to positive impact on children
and families.”
As part of the Buffalo program, UnitedHealthcare and Hasbro are
working with the City of Buffalo Public Schools and Buffalo State
College to encourage students to continue to use the NERF ENERGY
kits throughout the school year by hosting a school-to-school “NERF
ENERGY Challenge.” Approximately 200 fifth-grade students from two
schools will compete to accumulate the most energy points.
“We believe a little healthy competition between our
fifth-graders will reinforce the good habits these students are
learning through the program, while encouraging and rewarding team
success,” said Kriner Cash, Ph.D., superintendent, City of Buffalo
Public Schools.
Students from Buffalo State College will work with the
individual schools to help track results and plan activities to
support the challenge, which will run through the end of the school
year. The winning school will receive a grant to purchase physical
education equipment for their school.
Nationwide, approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents
aged two to 19 years are obese, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, and nearly 30 percent of adults are
obese, according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health
Rankings® Annual Report.
“We believe that young people will be motivated to move more
when they realize what their true activity levels are – and are
rewarded for their efforts,” said Pat Celli, CEO, UnitedHealthcare
Community Plan of New York. “We are grateful for the opportunity to
work with schools and community-based youth organizations to
provide this innovative activity program to more children.”
This program builds on UnitedHealthcare’s expertise in
developing practical solutions to encourage people to be more
active, including the use of exergames and gamification.
UnitedHealthcare and Hasbro will deliver 10,000 NERF ENERGY Game
Kits to elementary schools and community organizations in several
states across the country. Children ages six to 12 will be eligible
to receive the NERF ENERGY Game Kit at no cost.
Studies indicate that “exergaming” has the potential to reduce
the growing obesity epidemic among children and adults. A study by
George Washington University found exergames “spurred students to
move enough to meet the recommended intensity criteria for vigorous
activity” and that these games are “a useful alternative to
traditional physical education.”
About
UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping
people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health
care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and
sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company
offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for
individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and
their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with more than 1 million physicians and care
professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities
nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and
well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at
www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
About
HasbroHasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and
entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best
Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies,
digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of
ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF,
MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, LITTLEST PET SHOP
and MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partner brands. The
Company's Hasbro Studios and its film label, Allspark
Pictures, are building its brands globally through great
storytelling and content on all screens. Through its commitment to
corporate social responsibility and
philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to make the world a
better place for children and their families. Learn more
at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter
(@Hasbro & @HasbroNews) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth
Group.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161102006243/en/
Hasbro, Inc.Jen DeAngelis,
401-727-6833jen.deangelis@hasbro.comorUnitedHealthcareMaria
Gordon Shydlo, 914-933-4613maria_g_shydlo@uhc.com
Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024