The British national health service (NHS) has endorsed the Wii fit plus for the Nintendo Wii gaming console.
The backing is a victory for the Japanese company and the rest of the video games industry, which has been frequently attacked by the Government for encouraging a sedentary lifestyle, and accused of playing a role in the obesity epidemic.
A spokesman for the Department for Health said it was not endorsing a video game, but rather an exercise.
“Active video games, where kids need to jump up and down or dance about as part of the game, are a great way to get kids moving,” he said.
The Change4Life programme is a campaign by the NHS to persuade people, especially children, to take more exercise and eat healthily.
One of its early adverts featured two characters playing video games, suggesting this was something children should avoid. It prompted an angry response from Sony Nintendo and other console manufacturers, who lobbied the Government not to demonise the industry.
Wii fit plus
Wii Fit Plus is the latest video game to be launched by Nintendo for its Wii games console, which has won over sceptics to gaming, especially women.
Wii Fit Plus is an updated version of the Wii Fit game, which was released 18 months ago and allows players to undertake exercises with an on-screen guide. The exercises vary from difficult yoga positions to skiing and hula-hooping.
The new Wii Fit Plus will enable players to tailor an exercise programme to their own preferences and to target areas of their body.
Wii Fit Plus allows players to exercise with an on-screen guide, and is an updated version of Wii Fit, which was released 18 months ago.
Exercises include skiing, hula-hooping and yoga positions, and players can create an exercise programme to tailored to their own preferences and body target areas.
The Wii is already being used at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds to encourage recuperating patients to take exercise.
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One Response to “National health service endorses Nintendo Wii Fit plus”
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May 17th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Nintendo has been leveraging the family friendly nature of the Wii since its launch back in 2006. With Wii Fit, they made the console even more appealing to the health conscious and now more than just consumers are taking notice.
In a rather surprising announcement, the Wii, Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort are now endorsed by the American Heart Association, and will feature the logo on their boxes. This is a milestone for gaming consoles with the Wii being the first to ever be granted such an association.
While it is easy to cite examples of how the console’s control scheme could lend itself to a healthier gaming experience, ABC News points out that other “exercise-linked” products, such as most sports equipment, do not have the logo. Some may cry foul at reports that Nintendo will provide a $1.5 million gift to the association over the next 3 years, but President of the American Heart Association assures ABC News that, “The logo’s not for sale. What we’re doing is promoting a message that’s incredibly important.”
There certainly are health benefits to any sort of active behavior, but this seems to be more of a cross-promotional initiative than anything else; don’t be surprised to see that AHA on your Natal box this holiday too.