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UK Government Considers Wii in Schools

The virtual fight against obesity

By Calin Ciabai, Games Editor

31st of January 2008, 09:40 GMT

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Five British schools in Worcestershire have trialled some so-called "active" Wii video games to augment traditional Physical Education lessons with their final goal being the reduction of obesity of the

population and encourage students to take and enjoy more exercise, everything in a fun way. Strange, because I always thought that playing a real life basketball game is always better than playing any sports game, ever.

Anyway, since video games have gained so much popularity among the youngsters and they are the number one hobby for most of them, it could really be a good idea to use them as a health program, if everything indeed works as planned. The scheme follows a report in The British Medical Journal which found that active console games "significantly increased participants' energy expenditure", compared with other systems. Again, real life sports is not one of these "systems" and it seems normal that a significant increase is recorded while playing a game that makes you shake your heads and legs (unlike the traditional methods where you only use your fingers). Still, this CAN.NOT.BE.CALLED.SPORT.

Yet, even though a spokesman for the Department of Health welcomed such an idea and considered it a "first step" in the fight against obesity, a spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that there are no plans to roll out the scheme and it was just an individual decision made by those schools.

Also, Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, has dismissed the idea, saying: "Pupils would be far better doing serious competitive sports and games than this sort of thing. It looks like another gimmick. It's pandering to the views of the physically idle."

And, even though I generally disagree with all the declarations regarding video games from people who have no idea what video games actually are, this time I totally agree with the guys. Games are by no means a substitute to real sports, but a great way to relax after you come back home, tired from the running you just did.

TAGS:

Wii | Wii sports | UK government | schools | obesity

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