Dancing Away Obesity

From: John Hernried, M.D.

After my IHOP confession, I want to report an activity I enjoy with my family. A while back I found Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) at an arcade and was pleasantly surprised that I could compete. For those who aren’t familiar, DDR is an interactive video game that involves coordinating steps on a floor pad with a video image on a screen in front of you. It is accompanied by a wide variety of music. I will admit I am a terrible dancer, but I found copying the dance steps on a screen was easy and very exciting. At Christmas, we actually purchased two DDR pads for our home. It has turned out to be an excellent source of exercise for the whole family. Not surprisingly, my ten year old has far surpassed me. I am amazed how fast he moves his feet! After a song, and dance, my heart rate is elevated and I am sweating. The best part is it’s fun and seems effortless because I’m too busy concentrating on the correct steps to notice my exertion.

Fooling people into exercise is an excellent behavioral trick. Since I’ve started, I’ve learned that several
of my patients also use DDR to stay in shape. DDR offers a reduced perceived exertion—meaning you are actually getting more physical activity with less “pain.” It is a great way that technology can help.

DDR isn’t fooling only adults into moving. It is being used in schools as a form of physical activity for children. According to a story on the CBS Early Show, West Virginia is even incorporating it into their physical education program.. Curious? Put on your dancing shoes and check out their website for a demonstration of DDR.

The game can be purchased in conjunction with an Xbox or Playstation, or it can hooked directly to a TV. There are many different types. I found a lot of information by searching for “Dance Pads” on Amazon. DDR Game is another site that sells many different kinds of dance games.

For those who’ve been at it for a while, you can also dance against someone via the internet. I’m not quite there yet. But any day now I may be looking for a challenge to Hey Momma from the Black Eyed Peas.