How does the number of steps taken relate to TV time? For girls, 12,000 steps is the ultimate daily goal and for boys it is 15,000. Two hours of television is the maximum recommended time that a child should watch the television per day. Therefore, taking the maximum number of steps advised and the recommended viewing time: 1,500 steps = 15 minutes watching time

“Today’s children are exposed to a raft of television programs and children’s’ channels,” says Gillian Swan. “Ten years ago, children were entertained by playing games with their friends, now they are cooped up in their bedrooms watching hours of television programs. Square-eyes will help children to include exercise in their daily routines from an early age.”

The design will be shown at Brunel Design 2005, a design show organized by the students of Brunel University.

Paul Turnock, Design Director at Brunel’s School of Engineering and Design said: “This project is an excellent example of realizing a concept and creating a wholly feasible future project. Square-eyes’ will raise awareness among the family of their sedentary lifestyle and bring about a change in their behavior.”

Obesity is on the increase in the UK and there is a growing national concern surrounding the problem. Between 1995 and 2003, the prevalence of obesity among children in the UK aged between two and 10 rose from 9.9% to 13.7%. If current trends continue, 20% of boys and 30 per cent of girls will be obese by 2020. The cost of obesity in the UK is estimated at up to 3.7billion per year, which includes 4.9million for treating obesity, 1.1billion for treating the consequences of obesity, indirect costs of 1.1billion for premature death and 1.45billion for sickness absence.

From a Brunel University Press Release