Games industry to tackle obesity

The European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) has said it is looking forward to working with the UK Government as part of the announced £372 million plan to reduce obesity.

The newly unveiled Department of Health action plan states that it will "set up a working group with the entertainment technology industry to ensure that they continue to develop tools to allow parents to manage the time that their children spend watching TV or playing sedentary games, online and much more widely”.

Responding to the announcement, director general of ELSPA Paul Jackson said: “We look forward to working with the department on strategies to help in the education and support of parents and children. We as an industry wish to encourage healthy lifestyles and will therefore also take the opportunity of informing the government of the huge amount of active gaming devices and games which offer more active and interactive play.”