Wii Could Be What the Doctor Ordered

crimeandpunishment writes "The American Heart Association and Nintendo are teaming up to promote Wii. The popular games can be branded with the AHA's logo, to indicate that they're considered a healthy choice. As part of the deal, Nintendo will donate $1.5 million to the AHA. The Heart Association is concerned about childhood obesity, and now concedes that its campaign for traditional forms of exercise just isn't getting through."

Comments

Nintendo will "donate" $1.5million

[maugle]

Does it really count as a donation if they foresee these AHA-branded games generating at least that much in profit?

Re:Nintendo will "donate" $1.5million

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes.

There's nothing wrong with a mutually-beneficial arrangement that supports a good cause. Nintendo is donating money. Nothing about 'donating' implies you lose something. People would never donate if it did - they always get something out of it, even if its just the feeling that they're doing right in the world.

Sure, it's easier when it's monetary. Sure, it's not as altruistic. But it's still a donation. And it can still do good.

Sort of healthy

[MichaelSmith]

Often on the weekends my sons friends will be at out place to use the wii. They spend more time jumping around in front of the TV than they would spend with a different console but I usually take them out to the school oval to kick a soccer ball around as well. I am sure they get more health benefit from being outside then from being in front of the wii.

How about AHA's logos on normal sporting equipment. Footballs, etc?

Re:Sort of healthy

[Ethanol-fueled]

Alarmist yuppies like you are part of the problem.

Playing outside(or at all, for that matter) is much less fun than it used to be because of overprotective parents who feel the need to keep their kids on short leashes and wrapped in bubble-wrap.

Because of people like you, the American Heart Association would never put their name on a football because you'd sue them if your kid missed a pass and got a bloody nose.

With apologies to Matt Stone and Trey Parker -- America, FAT yeah.

Re:Sort of healthy

[tecnico.hitos]

Are you kidding? An overprotective parent would never let their kids to use a Nintendo Wii.Those things are dangerous.

Dogs

[Nidi62]

The AHA should endorse stray rabid rottweilers. They are a great way to get people more interested/involved with running.

Re:Dogs

[Anonymous Coward]

You don't have to outrun the rabid rottweiler, you just have to outrun your friends...

A message from the AHA

Re:AHA will "endorse" Wii games

[Trepidity]

In theory, as a non-profit charity dedicated to reducing the incidence and impact of heart disease, the AHA should be making its endorsements on the basis of some sort of measure of validity, not selling the rights to use the AHA logo as a purely commercial transaction.

Now presumably they did actually evaluate these games, but it sure gives the appearance of something being a bit more commercial than charitable if they gave their endorsement of these games in return for a $1.5 million donation.

Re:Don't underestimate the Wii

[MichaelSmith]

The thing is that there are scales of exercise. For a morbidly obese person playing a wii game might be a good workout. For somebody who is already very fit it might be of no benefit at all.

Re:Don't underestimate the Wii

[EvanED]

For somebody who is already very fit it might be of no benefit at all.

That depends on what game you're talking about. I'm sure DDR is probably about as far to the "good workout" end of the spectrum as you can get, so this is probably an extreme example, but you could give Lance Armstrong a DDR mat and copy of the game and after going through a little learning curve I almost guarantee he'd be getting a good workout with it.

People get good exercise with a good exercise DVD and they're just sitting in front of the TV; why can't you get good exercise if you replace the DVD with a video game?

Re:What the doctor ordered?

[morari]

It's what Dr. Mario ordered!

Re:Don't underestimate the Wii

[Cryacin]

People get good exercise with a good exercise DVD and they're just sitting in front of the TV;

I've been watching aerobics for months now, and I still haven't lost a gram of fat.

Re:AHA will "endorse" Wii games

[JackieBrown]

The more aware people are of their ability to make better choices is a step in the right direction and if a seal on a video game box helps in part to achieve that goal, all the better I say.

I got the wii fit and - to my horror - it said that I was obese. I was always the skinny kid in school and never really paid attention to the scale that would go up 2 pounds a month. It was a real wake up call.

I started exercing using the wii fit games (I really like the obstacle course where you are jumping from ledge to ledge and avoiding giant wrecking balls.) I stopped because my downstairs neighbor started banging on her ceiling.

The embarrassment of being told I was obese (no doctor ever said that to my face) combined with my neighbor thinking her ceiling was going to collapse simple by me running and jumping really inspired me.

In the past 8 months, I have lost close to 60 pounds and am well past the obese range. I have 5 pound to go to no longer being overweight. I still use the wii fit, but as a measuring tool and will start using it for exercise soon since I should be nearing the point where I no longer shake the entire apartment.

The only downside to losing the weight is that I have the same stretch marks as a woman who gave birth. But since it was a lot of work to lose that weight - and since I am already married - I see those as marks of pride and accomplishment.

Re:AHA are a joke

[oldhack]

Applies to most of the medical PR orgs.

I trust my mechanics more than my doctors, and y'all should. Chances are, your mechanics are more honest than your doctors.

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