Videogames and Health: Nine Research Teams From Across U.S. to Receive Major Grants for Breakthrough Work

Videogames and Health: Nine Research Teams From Across U.S. to Receive Major
Grants for Breakthrough Work

Awards Going to Researchers in CA, DC, MI, NY, and PA; Studies Explore How
Games Can Improve or Prevent Chronic Conditions, Increase Physical Activity

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly $2 million in grants
will be awarded to nine research teams to help strengthen the evidence base
that supports the development and use of digital interactive games to improve
players' health behaviors and outcomes. The grantees will be announced during
a live, phone-based news event (with full Q&A) at 1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m. PST
Thursday (November 5, 2009).

This is the second round of grants to be awarded from the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation through its Health Games Research national program, based at the
University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Funded studies explore topics
ranging from how dance pad games may help Parkinson's patients reduce the risk
of falling to whether the Nintendo Wii can make a difference in lowering BMI
for overweight high school students.

News event speakers will be:

* Debra Lieberman, Ph.D., communication researcher, Institute for Social,
Behavioral, and Economic Research, University of California at Santa Barbara;
and

* Paul Tarini, team director, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Pioneer
Portfolio.

TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with
full, two-way Q&A) at 1 p.m. ET on November 5, 2009 by dialing 1 (800)
860-2442. Ask for the "health games grants" news event.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be
available on the Web at http://www.healthgamesresearch.org as of 6 p.m. ET on
November 5, 2009.

SOURCE Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Washington, D.C. and Princeton, N.J.

Ailis Aaron Wolf, +1-703-276-3265, aawolf@hastingsgroup.com, for Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation, Washington, D.C. and Princeton, N.J.