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New DVD game battles Childhood Obesity

spectrachic311 said: "It sounds like a good idea, but a lot of kids will probably think it's a dorky game. I think games like DDR and the Nintendo Wii are a little more on the right track. Kids want to have fun when they're playing the games; they don't want a cholesterol metabolism lecture. DDR and Wii make exercise not seem like a chore and a lot of kids really actually LIKE playing them. And it's a lot harder to be eating a bag of Doritos if you're jumping around with a virtual sword or dancing like a maniac. I think video game manufacturers are on the right track with the whole "virtual exercise" thing."

klynnfosh said: "Well seeing how too many kids spend too much time in front of the TV and playing video games maybe if they actually pay attention to the facts presented in the dvd it might help some of them. Most kids are playing for the fun of it not really paying attention to what they battle. I have also heard PE is being removed as a requirement for graduation in high schools in our state and this is very little exercise for kids but at least it was some on a daily basis for them, I think this will only make them lazier. It is hard for me to get in an exercise habit and if kids were taught to include it in their day at an early age it would be habit for them and they all would be in better shape."

angel_rising said: "It does not sound like anything the typical kid would like, but they get an A for effort. Angel"

Diamond said: "That is a very smart idea. More companies should come up with things like that for kids."

mahesh67 said: "I think it is a totally great idea. Thats how you get kids to exercise."

lakelady said: "This IS a GREAT idea if it works. But not only are kids playing video games younger and younger, they are also more sophisticated than we give them credit for. I don't think that a game so clearly meant to teach them something will be very popular with them. I think it just encourages more video game playing. If the little darlings think the game is fun, they'll play it as they snack on little debbies, if they're allowed snacks like that. It actually sounds pretty cheesy and I unfortunately predict it's early demise. Now, dance dance revolution is a different story! We have that and the teens REALLY work up a sweat playing it. (I play it when the kids are gone, don't tell anybody) The boys practice it when the girls aren't here so they won't embarrass themselves when they play it in public at the cineplex or the mall. As the article points out, the new game doesn't get kids up and active. On the new wii (which we also have) there are sports games where you actually 'play' the sport. For example, in tennis you have to 'swing' the racket and hit the ball. You need a [I][B]lot [/B][/I]of room in front of whichever tv it's hooked up to! It's not [I]great [/I] exercise but it does get the kids up and moving. Much as we'd like it to be different, good parenting, and a good example are the best defense against childhood obesity. Even when I was overweight myself, I made certain that I took the kids skating, and sledding, and swimming, and riding. They learned very young to enjoy being active so they've kept up that lifestyle as they grew."

**Shorti** said: "[B]New DVD game battles childhood obesity [/B] By JIM ELLIS, Associated Press Writer Wed Feb 21, 3:20 PM ET Obesity may be a global epidemic, but it's Obeez City that is spreading out of control in a new DVD game. The game, called Body Mechanics, teaches youngsters how to avoid being overweight by joining forces with a team of superheroes who battle villains with names like Col Estorol and Betes II. The fighting takes place inside the body of Jack Decayd. If Obeez City is not contained, "Jack will die soon," says Neuro, the Yoda-like wise one who narrates the game's story line. "I remember how it started. A few snacks here, a soft drink there," Neuro speaking in an ominous tone says during the opening. "And before we knew it, the Evil Coalition of Harm and Disease was threatening us all. ... Only you can change how this story ends." Body Mechanics is the latest in a string of video gaming products that promote more exercise and better eating habits, although this one doesn't actually get kids up and active. It's more of a teaching tool packaged with an animated movie and sold as a two-disc set. It became available in limited release Tuesday in retail outlets including Target, Borders, Walgreens and CVS pharmacies. Viewed as sedentary pastimes, video games and their cousins, the TV and PC, are typically the object of parental finger-waving. And children are becoming gamers younger than ever — 2 years old, according to a survey conducted by NPD Group, a market research firm. With sales in the U.S. totaling $12.5 billion in 2006, the gaming industry's foothold is firmly planted in American culture — and so is childhood obesity. Roughly 17 percent of American youngsters are obese, and millions more are overweight, according to the government. But highly popular active video games like Dance Dance Revolution and gaming consoles such as Nintendo's Wii and now Body Mechanics may help counter the belief that video games enable teens to lie around and gain weight. Imagine Harry Potter, "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" all mixed up inside the body and that's Body Mechanics, said Tony Findlay, the game's Australian creator, who is based in Sydney. While on tour promoting a diet book, Findlay said, "Parents approached me and asked how they can teach their kids to eat better and exercise more." Video games like Body Mechanics have a difficult task, said Dr. Karen Cullen, an associate professor with the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. "You can give someone an hour's worth of facts and you'll bore them to death," she said. "The games have to be entertaining to compete in the marketplace." Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. Sounds kinda corny but I applaud the effort to make nutrition a fun and educational experience.:clap:"