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.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$60,000 in prizes

First Place - Tool

Second Place - Tool

Honorable Mention - Tool

GE Healthymagination Student - Tool

Corporate Recognition - Tool

Public acknowledgement and no cash prize

Popular Choice - Tool

First Place - Game

Second Place - Game

Honorable Mention - Game

GE Healthymagination Student - Game

Corporate Recognition - Game

Popular Choice - Game

Public acknowledgement and no cash prize

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

How to enter

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.

Judges

Michael J. Barber

Michael J. Barber
Vice President, healthymagination General Electric Company

Aneesh Chopra

Aneesh Chopra
Chief Technology Officer & Associate Director for Technology Office of Science & Technology Policy Executive Office of the President

Pat Christen

Pat Christen
President and CEO HopeLab

Tiffany Cooper Gueye

Tiffany Cooper Gueye
Chief Executive Officer Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL)

Mark DeLoura

Mark DeLoura
Developer Advocate, Games Google Inc.

Michael (Mike) D. Gallagher

Michael (Mike) D. Gallagher
President and CEO Entertainment Software Association

Robin Hunicke

Robin Hunicke
Game Designer & Producer thatgamecompany

Eric Johnston ("EJ")

Eric Johnston ("EJ")
Principal Engineer LucasArts

Michael Levine

Michael Levine
Executive Director The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

Mark Pincus

Mark Pincus
Founder and CEO Zynga

Dora Rivas

Dora Rivas
President School Nutrition Association

Shale L. Wong

Shale L. Wong
Pediatrician Advisor to Let's Move!

Steve Wozniak aka "The Woz"

Steve Wozniak aka "The Woz"
Co-founder, Apple Computer Inc. Co-Author, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon Chief Scientist, Fusion-io

Judging Criteria

  • Potential impact on target audience
  • Quality, accuracy, and content of message
  • Creativity and originality
  • Potential for further development and use
  • Potential to engage and motivate target audience

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