"I think this site is the coolest! The games are fun, and everything about it rocks!!!!!!"
- A 12-year-old Kidnetic.com visitor

Kidnetic.com is a fun, interactive, and educational site designed to appeal to kids and their parents by promoting healthy eating and physical activity in an effort to help prevent childhood overweight. As the Web site celebrates its first birthday and welcomes its one millionth visitor, it is clear that Kidnetic.com is right on target and has been a big hit with "tweens" (children ages 9 to 12) nationwide.

"I see how kids' eyes glaze over when we talk to them about nutrition. Kidnetic.com helps to make nutrition and physical activity fun. I think it's a terrific site!"
- Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, FADA, American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokesperson, and Kidnetic.com science advisor.

Kidnetic.com aims to get kids eating healthfully by enticing them with yummy, nutritious recipes. What kid wouldn't be intrigued by Brewed Monkey Brain Stew, Edible Apple Lips, or Franken-Fingers with Blood Sauce? The Recipe Roundup on Kidnetic.com is one of the three most popular features on the site. Categories like "Gross-Out Delights," "Smart Snacks," and "Brown Bag Specials" feature simple, palate-pleasing recipes for kids to follow and enjoy. Kids can also get a parent involved by choosing a recipe from the "Family Friendly" category, which builds on the family dynamics theme that flows through the site.

In addition to celebrating one year of success, Kidnetic.com is also celebrating that it is the only Web site for kids that encourages users to stand up and get physical while still online—bringing fun to the physical activity side of a healthy lifestyle. For example, Time Challenge—another top feature—includes a beat-the-clock exercise challenge and in-home scavenger hunt. What makes Time Challenge unique is that kids are doing fun, physical activities right in front of the computer screen.

"The idea of challenging kids to be physically active in situations where they'd ordinarily be sedentary is very creative," said Russell Pate, MS, PhD, University of South Carolina, exercise physiologist, and Kidnetic.com scientific advisor. "It reinforces the idea that you don't have to go to the gym or playground to make physical activity part of your everyday lifestyle."

Of course, Kidnetic.com also encourages activity away from the screen, with the Wet Head Games section. Wet Head Games are games submitted by kids for kids to print out and play—indoors, outdoors, solo, or with a group. The idea is for kids to get a "wet head," by working up a sweat while playing.

"The fact that kids are responding so positively to the food and physical activity components of the site tells us we've been successful."
- Susan Borra, RD, senior vice president of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation.

Adding to the success of the site itself, the research that sparked Kidnetic.com's creation was published in the June 2003 Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA). The research findings revealed some interesting perceptions that kids and their parents have when it comes to the issue of childhood overweight and obesity.

"This one-of-a-kind research led to the development of this one-of-a-kind Web site," said Ayoob. "Overall weight management comes from a balance of healthy eating and active living."

"One of the first things kids told us was that health information has to be presented in a way that is fun, cool, and not boring," said Borra, who is also the lead author of the JADA article. The research found that neither "tweens" nor parents give much thought to healthy weight, recognizing neither its immediate benefits nor its long-term importance. "Tweens" relate their weight to athletic performance and overall appearance—not health.

Five health organizations have partnered with the IFIC Foundation to develop Kidnetic.com, and each group reviews all content on the site for scientific accuracy and appropriateness. The organizations are the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, International Life Sciences Institute Center for Health Promotion, and the National Recreation and Park Association. Thirteen food and beverage companies and other organizations fund the Web site by providing unrestricted grants to the IFIC Foundation. There is no cost to use Kidnetic.com. It is also non-commercial, which means there is no advertising, nothing is for sale, and there are no links to any company or brand Web sites.

New Kidnetic.com content is being added regularly. Look for brand new features on the site later this year. In addition, a formal evaluation of Kidnetic.com is underway and will be presented in the near future. The IFIC Foundation would like to wish Kidnetic.com a very Happy Birthday and many more years of continued innovation and success!

Kidnetic.com celebrates:

• 1 million visitors
• 54 percent of registered users are aged 9 to 12
• Most Popular Areas:
• • Busy Buddy
  • Wet Head Games
  • Recipe Roundup
  • Time Challenge
  • InnerG