Wii Fit Not Endearing Itself to Everyone

Nintendo’s Wii Fit has been quite popular as of late. Pre-orders for the package have been selling like hotcakes. The game, which releases this week, seems to have the same widespread appeal that made Wii Sports a hit. However, a recent news report has some speaking out against the popular item.

There has recently been a story circulating around the Internet that details a child’s unfortunate experience with Wii Fit. Apparently, the game, which comes with a scale-like peripheral, measured the girl’s BMI (Body Mass Index) and judged her to be overweight. The girl became very upset and had to be consoled by her mother. As a result, some have begun to pass unfavorable judgment upon Nintendo’s newest cash cow.

The main problem is that this 10-year-old girl probably has a rather limited understanding of the concept of BMI. The game’s calculation probably made her feel inadequate and she responded the only way she knew how. This might simply be a cultural misunderstanding. I don’t know if children in Japan have image issues, but I am willing to bet that the problem isn’t as prevalent as in the United States. Perhaps Nintendo was unaware that the calculation could have such a negative impact on a child. It’s not Nintendo’s job to be surrogate parents, but perhaps they could have included an additional booklet filled with information about BMI and testimonials from medical experts. However, I don’t think Nintendo is at fault in this situation.

Wii Fit, despite the recent news coverage, has tremendous potential. It is no secret that this country has a problem with obesity. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad for an overweight child to hear that they need to shed a few pounds. I definitely do not advocate teasing a child about their weight or the use of words like “fat.” However, I fully support Wii Fit if it can help get kids to be more active.

I can’t tell you how much it upsets me to see overweight children. Obesity is often the result of poor choices made throughout one’s life. I understand that some people can’t help the fact that they overweight, but many people in this country eat way too much fast food and candy. The worst part is that many overweight children don’t know any better. They often grow up in an environment where they are allowed to eat whatever they want. Personally, I think there are some pretty terrible parents in this country. Perhaps Wii Fit can do what many parents will not.

Wii Fit isn’t going to whip you into tremendous shape. It might be a decent workout, but nothing compares to going outside for a run or going to the pool for a swim. Hopefully Wii Fit can encourage people to get outside and exercise more often. However, I fear that many people will think that Wii Fit will provide all of the exercise they ever need. Instead of going outside for a walk, children might just turn on Wii Fit for a half an hour and proceed to sit on the couch for the rest of the day. If the child fails to lose weight, they might become discouraged and think that exercise has no benefits. Wii Fit isn’t going to help trim the country’s obesity problems, but perhaps it can act as a gateway to a more active lifestyle.
I feel terrible for this young girl. No one should be made to feel inadequate. Many people in this country have image issues and eating disorders are certainly a serious concern. I understand and sympathize with the mother, but I don’t think that Wii Fit should be demonized. Instead, we should look at Wii Fit as an opportunity to make significant changes to improve our quality of life. Wii Fit has tremendous potential, but only time will tell if it becomes more than a game that families play at holiday gatherings.

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