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Sept. 1, 2006
By Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala,
UCF News & Information
More than 9 million children are obese in America, putting them
at risk for heart disease, diabetes and a host of other medical
problems. And with an emphasis on testing and other competing
interests, physical education is being reduced or even cut in
many schools.
Recognizing that children were becoming less motivated to exercise
and chunkier as a result, University of Central Florida physical
education professor Debby Mitchell designed GeoMats about three
years ago to encourage more physical activity by making it fun
and portable.
Today, 19 public schools in Orlando County use the fitness dance
pad to get students in P.E. classes moving. And GeoFitness, Mitchell's
small company nurtured at UCF's Technology Incubator, started
shipping 1,000 mats a month this summer to schools, after-school
programs, gyms and senior centers around the country.
The mats look like giant phone pads. Kids follow a sequence
of numbered steps while music blares. As health problems among
children increase, it's more important than ever to get them
moving, Mitchell said.
"It's amazing, especially with diabetes," said Mitchell, who
has developed other, easy-to-use exercise equipment. "In the
case of type 2 it can be prevented with diet and good exercise.
The number of children we're seeing with it is just so sad."
Mitchell is a 20-year veteran in education who has focused her
research in fitness and integrating technology to help children
learn. Mitchell received a $1 million Tech IMPACT grant from
the U.S Department of Education in 2000 to research ways to better
integrate technology into the classroom to help student improve
learning.
When UCF began offering a degree in sports and fitness in 2003,
Mitchell was named the coordinator of the program. She has also
developed a Web site that has lesson plans and other guides to
help physical education teachers with instruction.
The UCF alumna teaches a variety of courses at the university
from dance and gymnastics to wellness development in children.
She has also published several articles about the importance
of exercise and good health and how technology can help maintain
healthy lifestyles. In recent years her focus has been on youth,
obesity and the early onset of diabetes because of a poor diet
and exercise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 16 percent of
children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. In Florida,
the CDC estimates that about 26 percent of high school students
are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. And 28 percent
of low-income children ages 2 to 5 are overweight or at risk
in Florida.
"I noticed in one of my classes that the students just couldn't
get these very simple dance moves down," said Mitchell, who teaches
physical education courses in the College of Education. "I'd
noticed over the years that the students I had were less coordinated.
And being deep into obesity studies, I knew the health problems
many of our youth are facing. So I went home and came up with
the idea for a GeoMat."
The prototype was a vinyl tablecloth, designed like an ATM keyboard.
It was big enough for an adult's foot to step onto each key.
Mitchell combined number sequences with aerobic dance steps.
She put the sequence to music and saw the students laughing.
She knew that if her college students were having fun, it was
likely that younger students would, too.
Jeanne Fifer, the wellness curriculum leader at Corner Lakes
Middle School in Orlando, purchased mats for her school. As word
spread of the ease of use and popularity among teens, more Orange
County schools purchased the mats and newer products.
"Obesity is the greatest health problem facing our nation at
this time," Fifer said. "Any form of motivation that addresses
the problems of our sedentary youth is a positive contribution
to this problem"
Fifer said the GeoMats offer quick and challenging step moves
that intrigue students. They are great for warm-ups and can be
set up for specific training modules for strength, flexibility
and cardio.
"Many students have become quite creative in developing their
own routines and dance moves," she said. "They can work as a
group, with a partner and or by themselves. Teachers love the
new format and dance in middle school is possible with GeoFitness."
"I'm living a dream," Mitchell said. "I'm teaching, doing research
and actually providing something that will help children with
their health. If we don't give them good healthy habits now,
they won't develop them when they get older, just because."
For more information contact:
Debby Mitchell, CEO, GeoFitness 407-275-0510 or mitchellgeofitness@yahoo.com
Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF News & Information, 407-823-6120
or zkotala@mail.ucf.edu
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