Comments on: Wii Fit says you're overweight and that's bad?

Wii Fit is under attack by obesity groups. Is it warranted?

[john55440]

Information about BMI, and the proper way to use it, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm

[Lerianis]

There isn't any 'proper way to use BMI'. Simply put, most doctors today are in favor of BANNING BMI measurements being used, and are more apt to use skinfold tests and other things.

[JD1007]

Obesity is a real problem in the US. 20 years ago fewer than 5% of children were obese and now more than 30% (different parts of the country vary) fall into that category. Current trends suggest we will hit 50% by 2020. I applaud the parents for having a device that may help their child get into better shape (of course she could just go outside and play). However, instead of getting upset with Wii, they could see their friendly neighborhood pediatrician for input on their daughter's health.
From: your friendly neighborhood pediatrician

[Lerianis]

We also didn't have parents who were too worried to let their children out of the house over the 'pedosexual threat' 20 years ago either.
20 years ago and more, it was seen as NORMAL for children and adult to be sexual together, so no one worried about it, and it didn't cause 'great mental harm'.
Now, everyone is worried about it out of their own self-interest (on the part of parents and society) and we now have some parents who will not let their children out of their home because they are so scared that someone will sex their child.

[nsayer]

1. Who says the parents bought wii fit *for her*? Maybe they bought it for themselves primarily and let the daughter try it out.

2. Who says that they haven't seen a pediatrician? When I was a child, I saw my pediatrician every once in a while for check-ups and the like. If there's nothing wrong with this girl, and she has been given regular check-ups, isn't it a bit much to suggest that she should go see a doctor on the advice of a *video game*? Maybe she's in your neighborhood and you're trying to drum up business?

3. Yes, she could go outside and play... except for when it's raining or dark out.

[Sunaptein]

Dealing positively with criticism, true or not, constructive or not, is an integral part of living in any society. The more constructively people respond to criticism, the healthier society is in general, and is a sign of emotional maturity. Parents should take opportunities like this to help their children deal with it on an emotional and intellectual level. Going into denial (10 year old girls cannot be "solidly built") and lashing out at the messenger is a sign of emotional immaturity, and is not a good example to set for a child who has some growing up to do. Perhaps the parents of this particular child are not completely grown up themselves, and I fear they are not by any means alone. This is one more reason having children ought to require a license.

[Lerianis]

Excuse me, but 10 year old girls CAN be 'solidly built'. I knew one girl when I was in middle school who was solidly built at the age of 8, tested EXTREMELY low on skinfold tests (almost no fat on her) and weighted 89 pounds at 4'9".
She simply put, wasn't fat, but she had VERY big bones.

[sticks1839]

Since we are talking about BMI calculations, not body fat % or athleticism, then 10 year old girls cannot be 'solidly built' in the sense that they would test into the overweight category for BMI because of muscle mass and large bone structure. The girl you mention would have barely crossed into the normal range for BMI at 19.3 for her height and weight. She was athletic, but not 'solidly built'. The girl in the story - if the weight and height given are correct - would be considered slightly underweight at 4'9" and 84 lbs (six stones at 14 lbs per stone). To cross into the overweight category a 4'9" girl would have to weigh at least 116 lbs, so imagine the 'solidly built' girl you knew plus another 27 lbs. That's more than a quarter of her weight that she would need to add. This article must have some of the facts wrong or this girl made a mistake in entering her height and weight.

[aubrey_q]

Did the Wii Fit use the word "fat" or "overweight"? Not that it should matter that much, because like Sunaptein says, we all need to learn how to confront criticism. I do think that "fat" has become a loaded (no pun intended) word and it probably hurts more than "overweight".

[relevant_comment]

My sister was a SOLIDLY BUILT 10 YEAR OLD GIRL who could beat 14 year old boys in fights (and throw them over her head) because she spent hours every day playing sport. Sunaptein, do not make unequivocal statements when you don't know what you are talking about; you reveal yourself as ignorant and irrationally cynical.

*I* on the other hand, WAS A FAT 10 YEAR OLD kid and you know what? IT RUINED MY LIFE. I was too weak to do anything about it and, I simply had no idea how much it would ruin my life at that age.

We DO NOT TELL CHILDREN ENOUGH that THEY ARE FAT and overweight and will DIE YOUNG. We should drill it into them until they cry and rage and when they start getting angry or you can see they are utterly distraught then we (as AUTHORITATIVE ADULTS) should tell them: "Do you want to do something about it? Good. Then this is what you must do: [detailed fitness plan constructed from studying at a library or by asking the school PE teacher]". While they stay on track we should heap praise and encouragement on them. When they fall of track they should be RIDICULED AND SCORED and PUNISHED with press-ups and other (minor) pointless labour. If the kid will not comply then all privileges should be withdrawn until they buckle.

Once they shape up, AS AUTHORITATIVE ADULTS we should tell them how proud of them we are, and that we pushed them like we did because we love them; that, soon enough it will be all up to them, but while they are children we will do everything we can to give them the best start in life possible. Repeat the bit about being proud of them, and then give a big reward like a holiday for being so determined and brave, or if you haven't got the money, go camping. Anything the kid will like.

Many fat kids suffer horrific abuse as children. I did. I am not longer fat, but I am not normal individual you would want in your society. That isn't who I was meant to be. Sometimes you have to use the stick to be kind, just don't forget the carrot. Being too soft on children can cripple them with kindness.

If the government really wanted to do something about it, they could start publicly funded "fat camps" where parents could put their kids. The kids would have an option to go to a camp in a different geographical location so all the local children don't know they spent the summer holiday at "fat camp". The money could be recouped from savings in social security and public medical insurance payments. Every kid is entitled to one free pass. That way, when the parents were too weak to do anything about it, the state could.

Oh, and for the "Utopia" section on the off-chance a bored Master of the Universe up in "Hedge Fund Heights" happens to read this: The final things to do would be to start looking negatively on "fat bashing" in the media the way people do for racism. Nobody wants to give up the last bastion of people it's safe to publicly abuse but if you did this, whilst at the same putting up stark health warnings on unhealthy foods and drinks like: "Increases obesity. Obese children die young"; you will start seeing a change. Big media headlines all the time, "Big Fat Issue: America to get fighting fit" and keep bringing it into the public attention; highlighting the progress made, the problems obesity causes and reinforcing the message "fat bashing" isn't cool anymore with character assassinations on various people in the spotlight (like we did with racism) then you will see vast improvements. While this paragraph is unlikely to ever happen, we can still make a difference just with the first part of this comment.

If you agree with this message, spread it.

[johnhwoods]

Ridiculous. If the girl's weight and height are what they say in the article, this cannot be true: the board would have to have mismeasured her weight by 30lbs! I suspect a problem with data entry. Too much to ask that anyone would have checked the facts before this story got all round the internet.

[ejohnsoz]

Relevant_comment, children should never be ridiculed. That's the exact source of what you're saying made you so unhappy. Encouraged and rewarded to be healthy? Absolutely. But ridiculed? Never.

[BrianPaul]

I have a Wii with Wii Fit and have not seen the word fat used, although it says I am obese, which is true having been on crutches following an accident to my knee four months ago.
Like all programmes it is only as good as the input and if you move around too much or feed in incorrect data then the reading will be incorrect. I am very pleased with the Wii, it has proved very useful in regaining my fitness and my BMI and weight are falling. I think it is important to remember it is not a toy for children, you are told not to jump on the board, but if young children are using the Wii, it is hard to get them to concentrate and follow the instructions correctly.
A lot of children are rarely told they are doing something wrong, so when it happens is this ridiculing them? I believe not, rather explaining why is surely a positive action. You have to learn to take positive criticism, otherwise you could end up a spoiled brat, who listens to nobody and is allowed to do whatever they wish.
Is it any wonder the misuse of drugs and alcohol is so high.

[zippy47710]

I think it's despicable what some of you have said. A gaming system should NOT be so bold as to proclaim you are overweight, even though the game is called Wii Fit. I think Nintendo should certainly change their marketing to include some disclaimers, that is certainly a defensible position on their part. I had considered purchasing a Wii with my stimulus check, I have now made my purchasing decision, definitely AGAINST the Wii. It'll be an XBOX or Playstation for me!

[nsayer]

"Obesity is, without a doubt, one of the most dangerous problems in the world."

Really?

Obesity is a problem in some developing countries, but the death toll due to obesity-related diseases pales in comparison to the world-wide death toll of malnutrition and infectious disease.

[samandalanm]

I have a very happy and healthy little girl. My daughter is 5. She does not each chips or fast food. Her favourite foods are pasta, all fruits and sushi. Her sweet innocent face was reduced to tears by this plastic excuse of a fitness board. I can see my daughters ribs where she is so slim and tiny framed. With her correct height and age entered, the wii fit blew her mii up to a fat mii. Her tears didn't stop for ages. Although 5 she new what it was saying. She refused to eat for the rest of the day. 4 MONTHS on she still doesn't want tp play it. This product is not fit for purpose as it is NOT accurate. I dread to think of the eating disorders this stupid board will cause.

[samandalanm]

Also perhaps a certain person should deal with some positive criticism of their own. Maybe over opinionated, old irritating people require a license aswell.

[redmonton]

If, like samandalanm, you have a very young child who's anxious to try your Wii Fit, explain that it's designed to measure grown-ups (though, really, Nintendo should have programmed it to skip the assessment for pre-teens). Even with adults, it's not a perfect system -- it's a glorified scale and a software program, not a doctor or personal trainer.

Two weeks in, and my two teenaged daughters are still loving the Wii Fit. Neither of them has missed a day so far.

My thirteen-year-old set up a password to chart her progress after she checked in as "risk of overweight" -- an assessment that strikes me as accurate. She's a few pounds heavier than she should be, and could use a firm but gentle (and objective!) nudge in the right direction. She now has a realistic, healthy target. She's on the Wii Fit every day, and has added a few other activities as well.

My fifteen-year-old is actually rated as slightly underweight -- the Fit tells her that her optimal weight is 142 lbs (both girls are tall). That figure strikes me as refreshingly sensible in contrast to what popular media would define as optimal. She particularly enjoys the yoga exercises.

The Wii Fit is no substitute for membership in a gym or on a sports team, but it's a fun way to inject a little bit of extra activity -- and a bit of daily assessment and guidance. Some features get on my nerves -- particularly the flurry of pointless conversation at startup -- but it's an excellent first attempt at a fitness game. The balance games are particularly addictive. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with for Wii Fit 2.