Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University (VU) participated in the Erasmus+ project “Supporting teachers to maximise enjoyable MVPA” (project No. 2019-1-EE01-KA201-051595), which aims to improve the health of adolescents by creating modern sports games designed for developing motor skills.
Prof. Dr Natalja Istomina, Director of the Institute of Health Sciences of Vilnius University, was pleased that “A new game methodology and innovative games, which focus on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, have been introduced in Lithuania and throughout Europe. The methodology consists of 100 video games for physical activity translated into 5 EU languages: Lithuanian, English, Estonian, Finnish and Slovenian. The games are intended to be used in physical education lessons or during sports training, and also during leisure time.”
According to the World Health Organization, as many as 82% of children and adolescents do not meet the recommendation of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day. Overweight and obesity among children are of great concern worldwide, so this type of intervention should start at a sufficiently early age and involve as many children as possible. It is expected that games designed to be used during physical education lessons or sports training will increase children’s physical activity.
The project was implemented in conjunction with colleagues from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania), University of Tartu (Estonia), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Research Centre for Sports and Health Sciences – Likes (Finland). The project started in 2019 and will end in October 2022.
The project was supported by Erasmus+ programme KA201 Strategic partnerships for school education.
