Are Video Games the Key to Solving Childhood Obesity?

I believe I have seen the future.

Nintendo just released their "Wii" (pronounced 'we') video game console. It contains a wireless remote that is motion sensitive.

What this means is that to swing a bat in a baseball video game, you swing the remote over your shoulder and across in front of you. To clunk a villain on the head, you move the remote in a similar way.

When I think of the possibilities...

What about a video game where you have to do a certain amount of working out (push ups, swinging your arms, stretches) in order to do something fun in the game (go through to a new level, open a door, etc.). We are now able to link the fun of videogames with the need for physical activity. Indeed, it seems that all videogames will now have an aspect of fitness to them, making them more fun than before.

I've never been a gamer myself, I get bored of them very easily. But knowing that young children today often play games more than they watch TV or surf the Internet, this could be the opportunity we're looking for.

I'm not the first person to think of this. Note the comment at the end of this article on Wii.