Apps for Healthy Kids competition launched by Michelle Obama

First Lady Michelle Obama has launched the “Apps for Healthy Kids” competition. $40,000 in prizes to create innovative, fun and engaging software tools and games that encourage children directly or through their parents to make more nutritious food choices and be more physically active.

The Apps for Healthy Kids competition is a part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation. Apps for Healthy Kids challenges software developers, game designers, students, and other innovators to develop fun and engaging software tools and games that drive children, especially “tweens” (ages 9-12) – directly or through their parents – to eat better and be more physically active.

Childhood obesity or excess weight threatens the healthy future of one third of American children. We spend approximately $150 billion every year to treat obesity-related conditions, and that number is growing. Obesity rates tripled in the past 30 years, a trend that means, for the first time in our history, American children may face a shorter expected lifespan than their parents. We need to get moving!

Tools and games should be built using the USDA nutrition dataset recently made available to the public through the Open Government Initiative. The dataset provides information on total calories, calories from “extras” (solid fats and added sugars), and MyPyramid food groups for over 1,000 commonly eaten foods. We are seeking innovative and creative tools and games that use the USDA dataset to deliver nutrition and health concepts in a fun and engaging way.

Developers can submit apps for mobile phones and computers from 2:00pm EST March 10, 2010 through 5:00pm EDT June 30, 2010. Judging panel and public voting period beings 12:00pm EDT July 14, 2010 and ends 12:00pm EDT August 14, 2010. Winner demonstrations and recognition ceremony will be determined in due course.