Overweight and obesity are seen as global public health problems affecting more than 20% of schoolchildren in Europe (Currie et al., 2012). Next to short and long term health risks, emerging evidence indicates that overweight and obesity have also negative educational consequences (Suhrcke & de Paz Nieves, 2011). Within this context, online and video games are mostly discussed in view of their potential risks (e.g. online gaming as sedentary behaviour that prevents users from engaging in physical activity). However, digital media have increasingly permeated the life of young people (as digital natives) in recent years and hence should not be excluded from (school) health promotion. This presentation aims to illuminate the positive aspects of gaming for health and the opportunities it can offer for school health promotion. The theoretical framework underlying this presentation uses the serious games approach. Whereas "normal" electronic games aim to entertain its users, so called serious games pursue the idea of integrating gaming and learning for serious purposes like health or education.

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