Several forces recently joined together to promote the Active Play Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) Challenge. Those forces include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN); the Entertainment Software Association (ESA); and leaders from the U.S. video game industry.
The Active Play Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge aims to highlight active video games as one way to help Americans lead more active lives.
Gamers earn PALA+ by logging their active video gaming activity online. This includes games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 from EA Sports; Dance Dance Revolution from Konami; Kinect Sports: Season 2 from Microsoft; Wii Fit Plus from Nintendo; MLB 12: The Show from Sony; Nickelodeon Dance from Take-Two Interactive and Just Dance 3 from Ubisoft.
The physical activity requirements for PALA+ are 60 minutes per-day for kids and 30 minutes per day for adults, five days a week for six out of eight weeks. There’s also a nutrition component to the requirements. Participants must add a weekly healthy eating goal to build upon those goals throughout the same six-week period.
ESA member companies included initiatives to help participants stay motivated and track their progress in the program. Companies including Electronic Arts, Konami, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Take-Two Interactive and 2K Play, and Ubisoft will incorporate PALA+ promotional features into some of their active video games.
PALA+ features include:
- Interactive tools to help kids and families monitor the progress of their physical activity and healthy eating goals
- Tracking tools to help participants in different schools and communities engage in competition
- Helpful tips and information on healthy living from PCFSN
President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Official Website
Active Play PALA+ Challenge Official Website