A fitness blogger (wait, isn’t that an oxymoron?) has called for the inclusion of a warning label on video games. In a review of Wii Fit, Winston Salem Fitness pointed out several inaccuracies and flaws in Wii Fit’s text, including the fact that the BMI scale (Body Mass Index) isn’t necessarily related to one’s health, and pointing out that some exercises recommended by the game are regarded as a bad idea by the vast majority of “fitness professionals.”
The post ends with this suggestion:
Overall, I give Nintendo credit for trying to make a game that tries to get people to be more active, which is more than can be said for other video game manufacturers. However, this will not do anything in terms of chipping away at the American obesity problem.
In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the video game industry needs to follow the route of the tobacco and alcohol manufacturers, and state that excessive use of their product could lead to inactivity and obesity, rather than try to make a half-hearted effort at increasing American activity levels...
First off, the tobacco industry was forced by the government to label cigarettes; they didn’t choose to. But applying the same logic to video games doesn’t make sense any way you look at it. Smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease directly (as well as making you look cool) where video games don’t cause any health problems directly (and also don’t make you look cool). Finding an exact causal relationship between playing games and health issues is impossible.Sure, gamers may be more likely to be fat, but that doesn’t mean games caused the fat. It could mean that fat people tend to play games. No one can say for sure.
It is true, though, that sitting on the couch all day playing games will make you fat, and games like Wii Fit are not really going to make anyone fit, so maybe video games reminding people to go ride their bikes once in awhile would be a good thing. What do you think? Does Nintendo have some obligation to tell the truth about fitness to people because its game says "Fit" right in the title?
Comments
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Velocity2k
I've heard testimony of people loosing weight by just playing Wii Sports, and that's not even a "fitness game". The fact of the matter is that if you use your muscles you will build them and if you move your whole body around you will burn fat.
Velocity2k
I noticed that most of the people who've written about the Wii Fit have never actually played it; especially those who write that it won't help you loose weight. In actuality, many of the exercises in the game are the same ones used by the U.S. Army. I hereby challenge any doubters of the legitamacy of the game to try it every day for one hour for one week and see of it doesn't improve your health at least a little bit.
spleendingo
I just dropped in to stare at the picture. That is all. Goodbye.
MegaMark26
seriously. i pretty much have figured most of the planet is full of idiots but come on. think people..it takes common sense for plenty of things. using a wii fit will make you less able to gain weight. improve balance. since you'll not be vegetating on the couch. it will not give you rock hard abs and tons of muscle. for that you have to work out with weights. do tons of cardio. maintain a balanced diet.
deline
its common sense that if u sit on a couch all day, ur gunna gain some weight.
yup people need more common sense like the people who hat video games like that duch bag jt and that fitness blogger (wait, isn’t that an oxymoron?) has called for the inclusion of a warning label on video games. video game you stupid fitness blogger has labels for E, T, M from ESBR. +do i need muscles no because i am not a gey jock the play sports lol i try do as littel as i need to do and also i am fit not fat not over weight or under weight like some movies stars the are under 65 or so in weight. also insert more stuff i can think of to make fun of stupid fitness blogger.
Giga
wii fit is not going to put in super shape but it does get the body moving and will help you loose weight im not out of shape and i put on a sweat playing it it helps with ballance and many other things my best friend who is in excellent shape even breaks a sweat playing some of the stuff so no you wont turn into the ROCK with it but it will keep you from being fat albert as well
BOM_Sefir
Someone needs to put a warning on the sun because it causes skin cancer.
basskill2000
this game in my opinion is a FAIL! regardless it is selling well, i don't see the actual point. if you want real excersize, get off you ass and do something. i myself do karate, have been for 16 years. all the game is going to do is make you feel like your doing something while rotting your brain and straining your eyes.
OkUrRight
the gaming companies aren't forcing you to sit on your butt all day and play videogames. what's making people fat is them eatting a double whopper while playing. video games make you weak from not using your muscles not fat.they will make you smart and have better reflexes though. should we put a warning label for that too. it's just like blaming a 3rd party for suicide. they didn't really do anything.well that's an extreme but really now. they are gonna blame everyone else but themselves for being over weight which is lame.
deathnotejoe
its common sense that if u sit on a couch all day, ur gunna gain some weight. we dont need a freakin label to tell us that. this man is just dumb. there should be warning labels on dumb people saying "WARNING-Please disregard anything and everything that comes out of my mouth. that is all, thankyou"
ZyloWolfBane
Plus, if your too obese that walking from one end of the room to the other for a snack gets you winded then you dont really need someone else telling you that playing ANY video game is probably going to kill you.
I swear, if our species didnt reproduce on such a huge scale we definately would make ourselves disappear in the next 2 generations, some people should just be allowed to be stupid and die from their blantant ignorance so they arent someday allowed to breed and continue the cycle.
ZyloWolfBane
There doesnt need to be a warning, once again just as with kids who play violent video games whos parents eventually blame, common sense has suddenly left the human race.
You shouldnt need a warning label to tell you that playing a "Fitness" game isnt going to make you any less fat, theres no medical proof as such and the golden rule here is "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"
Just the same as "Diet" pills arent going to do all the work for you because you still need to EXERCISE!!!!!!!
NortheastMonk
No Fat Chicks!
Dynamo903
some exercises recommended by the game are regarded as a bad idea by the vast majority of “fitness professionals.”
Of coarse they'd say that. Because then they would be out of a job if everyone just stays at home and exercises! Bye bye fitness trainers!
The post ends with this suggestion
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog /post/697161/Fitness-Blogger-C alls-For-Video-Game-Warning-La bels.html#ixzz0KamkG6ap&D
silent_jedi
its amazing how people will delude themselves into thinking they will get in shape buy playing a game. dont care that is has fit in the name, come on people think.
T_Rexx
For WiiFit, i think they shld add ... "Please consult your physician before playing WiiFit"
The Wii add with the Father and son playing the boxing game punch out, the father looked as if he's about to have an attack or something.
So i think people shld check their health before playing all these games that require these latest (motion crap)
technology to play.
People soon drop dead playing them.
Lucifer6972
Hmm, very interesting. I agree 100%, I do but boy, she went American..."American obesity problem." I like that, LOL!! :)
You know, our state(Illinois) ranks in the top 5 in obesity...for kids, kids, LOL!!! But we're good in the adult side, we're rank 20 or lower. So yeah, it works out for both...we realize how fat and slow we are as kids, then we know how to care for ourselves as adults. Is all in the system baby, our system rocks! LOL!!! :)
Just come live over here and you'll be fine...just look at me, LOL!!! :) Sweet! :)
Cak3
I thought it was common knowledge that inactivity caused people to grow bellies :)
Why don't we just label all the DVDs as well if we're going to label videogames? "May make you fat." Heck, why don't we label every computer with the same label /sarcasm.
The whole thing sounds ridiculous to me. I understand rating systems and health warnings on alcohol, cigarettes, etc but anything can hurt your health or kill you. There has to be a line.
sjohnson
Bah ha ha! Typo hall of fame!
DVirus008
i dont think nintendo needs to tell people that wii fit isnt gna make them lose weight. i think people need to use that lump of grey matter in thier head alil. but unfortunately the american people need a hand to guide them through life so, ya eventualy theres gna be an outcry of people who have gotten hurt or have died and they will have to put a warning label on. itll happen eventually. i dont think they need to but there are some really stupid people out there that may need it....(sarcasm)
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