Wii helping overweight kids get fit
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, half the kids in the country are overweight. They point out to eating habits and lack of exercise as the main factors why American children are getting heavier. Nintendo is now working hand in hand with the YMCA to motivate children to get into fitness to prevent illnesses related to the condition.
The two groups believe that the key to solving the problem is by motivating the children to get into a healthier lifestyle through positive reinforcement. At the center of all this is the Nintendo Wii, the Japanese company’s new game console that features innovative controllers called Wiimotes. The Wiimotes are unlike any other input device ever seen before: They are wireless, motion-sensitive and require a lot of activity to use to the fullest.
Nintendo started by donating 100 of the hard-to-find units to YMCA centers all over the country. Copies of the popular Wii Sports game were shipped along with the console. Wii Sports is popular because not only is it free, it immerses players into something close to virtual reality. Players can play bowling, tennis, boxing and much more while standing up and flailing their arms to rack up the points in whatever sport they choose.
“The Wii is one way to get inactive kids who love video games moving when they would otherwise be sitting playing these games,” says Jane Carroll of the West Suburban YMCA. She also plans to squeeze in some eating tips along the way when people start to acknowledge the value of staying fit through the system.
Max Melville is seven years old and has recently started working out at the YMCA in his area. He says he always looks forward to sessions on the Wii console. “It’s like virtual reality,” he said. “I always wanted to know what it would be like to play some of these sports,” he says.
On a side note, Nintendo has been spreading word around that there’s actually a good number of people mailing them about how the Wii helped them shed off a few pounds. None of these have been confirmed, but this development looks ready to add a whole new dimension as to how the rest of the world views games.
Via Boston.com
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, half the kids in the country are overweight. They point out to eating habits and lack of exercise as the main factors why American children are getting heavier. Nintendo is now working hand in hand with the YMCA to motivate children to get into fitness to prevent illnesses related to the condition.
The two groups believe that the key to solving the problem is by motivating the children to get into a healthier lifestyle through positive reinforcement. At the center of all this is the Nintendo Wii, the Japanese company’s new game console that features innovative controllers called Wiimotes. The Wiimotes are unlike any other input device ever seen before: They are wireless, motion-sensitive and require a lot of activity to use to the fullest.
Nintendo started by donating 100 of the hard-to-find units to YMCA centers all over the country. Copies of the popular Wii Sports game were shipped along with the console. Wii Sports is popular because not only is it free, it immerses players into something close to virtual reality. Players can play bowling, tennis, boxing and much more while standing up and flailing their arms to rack up the points in whatever sport they choose.
“The Wii is one way to get inactive kids who love video games moving when they would otherwise be sitting playing these games,” says Jane Carroll of the West Suburban YMCA. She also plans to squeeze in some eating tips along the way when people start to acknowledge the value of staying fit through the system.
Max Melville is seven years old and has recently started working out at the YMCA in his area. He says he always looks forward to sessions on the Wii console. “It’s like virtual reality,” he said. “I always wanted to know what it would be like to play some of these sports,” he says.
On a side note, Nintendo has been spreading word around that there’s actually a good number of people mailing them about how the Wii helped them shed off a few pounds. None of these have been confirmed, but this development looks ready to add a whole new dimension as to how the rest of the world views games.
Via Boston.com
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