iHealthBeat
By George Lauer
June 11, 2008
"Health is worth more than learning."
-Thomas Jefferson in a letter to cousin John Garland Jefferson, June 11, 1790
A strong argument could be made that health and learning are dependent on each other. Jefferson, in the letter cited above, was urging his cousin to set aside time every afternoon for exercise and recreation, arguing that such pursuits are vital to a person's overall well-being.
When you throw a third element into the equation -- fun -- another strong argument could be made that health and learning are enhanced.
"I'm a very strong believer that learning is fun," said Debra Lieberman, the "modern mother" of using interactive games to improve health.
"So much of getting and staying healthy involves learning; it's a very logical step to connect the two. And if you can make that connection fun and make it something people want to do, you're more likely to achieve your goals in both areas," Lieberman said.
Health researchers and gamers all over the country are moving toward their goals with a little more spring in their step this month after receiving money in the first round of grants from the national Health Games Research program directed by Lieberman.