Amanda Staiano fights to keep fitness fun

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Amanda Exner Staiano, Baton Rouge native and TEDxLSU 2016 speaker, is fighting to end childhood obesity and advocate for children’s health. Amanda works as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Laboratory at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center. She spends her days researching activity-promoting video games and the outcomes they have on children’s health.

I recently chatted with Amanda to find out more about her life and work. Check out some of the highlights of our conversation below.

This year’s TEDxLSU theme is “why.” What’s your biggest “why” question right now?  

Why is it so hard for us to stick to our New Year’s resolutions – especially ones related to exercise?

We know you are involved with scientific advocacy. Why is it important to you to be both a scientist and an advocate?

Science isn’t meant to linger on library bookshelves or in pay-to-read academic journals. As a researcher, I want my work and my colleagues’ work to impact today’s generation of children. Children don’t get to vote, so as adults we need to be their voice and advocate for their health.

Your current work focuses on activity-promoting video games. Other than these, what is your favorite video game? <

I can’t wait to try the Oculus Rift virtual reality system and see if we can leverage its immersive properties to improve players’ health.

As a Baton Rouge native, what do you think is the best kept secret about the city?

Just off Perkins and Kenilworth sits a world-renowned research center that produces cutting-edge science to improve human health, attracts the best and brightest scholars from around the world, and is an economic engine that has an excellent return on investment with external grant funding. I am proud to be part of the Pennington Biomedical family.

If you could pick one person in the community to come watch your talk who would you pick, and why?

I’d love for our friends at EA Sports and the LSU Digital Media Center to come join us so we can put our heads together on how to make video games healthier for children.

We know you love to travel. What is your next destination and what will you do?

A thrilling and rewarding part of a career in academia is travelling the world to share our work. I’ve got San Diego and Washington, D.C. on the docket this spring for conferences. In June I head to Cape Town, South Africa, to present my research at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity conference. It’s exciting to network and exchange new ideas with international colleagues in such amazing venues.

If you could switch jobs with another TEDxLSU speaker for one day, who would it be and why?

Walking a mile in General Honoré’s shoes would be an exhilarating and rewarding challenge.  Our state is lucky to have his leadership.

You are an expert in healthy living, but what’s your guilty pleasure when it comes to food or drink?

Frozen yogurt with crushed Reese’s peanut butter cups.

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