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Can games stop you being a chunky f***er? Play Away the Calories finds out! photo

Nintendo and London's Science Museum are teaming up to ask the question: Could videogames make you healthier? With Wii Fit hitting Europe in April, Play Away the Calories aims to find out, by inviting both gamers and slimmers to the Dana Center to discuss attitudes to losing weight and gaming, play some Wii titles, and generally have a laugh (there's also a bar there, I am promised).

Could video games make you healthier? With adult obesity rates having almost quadrupled in the last 25 years, might more interactive games technology really increase our fitness? Come along to play, and discover for yourselves.

If you're nearby and fancy going, the event is free and you can email tickets@danacentre.org.uk or call 020 7942 4040. You do need to pre-book if you're interested, and one can find a little more info here.

The organizers are trying to get a good cross-section of people going, so if you're nearby and free on March 26, it might be worth popping down to represent the gaming public, and of course, Destructoid. You might even see me there ... if I'm not too busy stuffing my fat face with pies and cakes that day.


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27 comments | showing # 1 to 27

wonky360's Avatar
wonky360 at 02/21/2008 08:02
I have played plenty of games which made me hurl so....yes I suppose.
Oni's Avatar
Oni at 02/21/2008 08:13
Sure there are games that can help you stop being a wafflehouse hero. Dance Dance Revolution for one.
taileon's Avatar
taileon at 02/21/2008 08:21
Dance Dance Revolution ... VERY true . Just 4 songs on expert and I'm already workin' up a sweat !!
Ronsauce's Avatar
Ronsauce at 02/21/2008 08:25
WiiFit is such a joke though. Shame on anyone who thinks they're getting decent exercise playing it. Granted, some activity is better than none, but 20-30 minutes of actual exercise isn't going to kill anyone.
Suff0cat's Avatar
Suff0cat at 02/21/2008 08:41
How the hell is awkardly waggling one arm or balancing on a board going to make you lose weight?

You want to see gamers lose weight, make em play DDR or Rock Band drums on Hard/Expert. It's that simple.
BluDesign's Avatar
BluDesign at 02/21/2008 08:49
I'm not convinced. Maybe if they threw in an offer of free tacos or curry to sweeten the deal.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 02/21/2008 08:59
As far as America goes I don't think there's anything that will help us lose weight. It's a lost cause.
savagesaladin's Avatar
savagesaladin at 02/21/2008 09:09
@Holyetheline

You mean the world? (besides almost all of Africa).
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 02/21/2008 09:20
@savagesaladin

Yes, that's exactly what I mean.
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 02/21/2008 09:30
hmm, this makes me want a pie..... brb
CaffeinePowered's Avatar
CaffeinePowered at 02/21/2008 09:52
Hey, if DDR can do it, why not WiiFit
mix's Avatar
mix at 02/21/2008 10:03
@savagesaladin and @Holyetheline

Doesn't America have have the highest ratio of fat people in the world? All you find on Google is info on Americas obesity epidemic and such. I know Canada has some fat people running around (not really) but just a smaller %
mix's Avatar
mix at 02/21/2008 10:17
@savagesaladin and @Holyetheline

Doesn't America have have the highest ratio of fat people in the world? All you find on Google is info on Americas obesity epidemic and such. I know Canada has some fat people running around (not really) but just a smaller %
mix's Avatar
mix at 02/21/2008 10:24
MY GOD, do not accidentally hit refresh when it sits as the comment screen or else you get a fail.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 02/21/2008 10:37
Screw that. I want to have my games and eat them too.
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 02/21/2008 11:28
@mix
"Doesn't America have have the highest ratio of fat people in the world?"

I believe so, its even worse in some states compared to others. Behind smoking, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in America, and if trends continue it will overtake smoking sooner than you think. It also has to do with how the public views overweight people say vs. smokers. Smokers get openly ridiculed and harassed. You can look down your nose at a smoker, its socially acceptable, I'm not a smoker by the way, but call someone fat and all hell breaks lose.

After my Grandfather died some 5 years ago, he was 64 I believe, an overweight man, my uncle said something interesting to me that I'll never forget. He said "how many overweight people do you see in their 60's, 70's, 80's?" To which I answered "not many."
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 02/21/2008 11:57
I know a guy who lost 100 pounds just from playing DDR. And seriously, it was JUST from playing the game -- the man is incredibly lazy and selfish. I've actually started playing the game for weightloss purposes. It satisfies my craving for rhythm games and it helps me be less of a fatass -- win-win, as they say.
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 02/21/2008 12:07
...I get tired after long Rockband drum sessions...

*sigh*

I need a gym membership.
nicojay's Avatar
nicojay at 02/21/2008 13:02
What is all this love for DDR when it comes to weight loss. Fighting Mania is the game to play. The bonus is one looks even sillier playing, especially if ones not ashamed to mimic kenshiros battle cry
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 02/21/2008 13:07
Just go play DDR, it's good enough.
kawitchate's Avatar
kawitchate at 02/21/2008 14:09
"Can games stop you being a chunky f***er"
a chunky father? seriously, what's behind those asterisks?
Knives's Avatar
Knives at 02/21/2008 14:20
I agree, DDR or long Rock Band drum sessions on Hard/Expert would work better.

Still, I don't see why Wiifit couldn't work, a lot of the exercises on WiiFit are traditional (like push ups) and going from 0 physical activity to 30-60 mins of doing something would probably make enough change in that persons metabolism to make them loose at least a bit of weight.
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 02/21/2008 14:38
My friend's mother used to play DDR for a workout, and it... well, it didn't work. But I don't think it's right for us to keep trying to hype games up as the new form of excercise. We're trying to establish the legitimacy of a medium here, and we're basically saying the same thing as "movies can make you smarter".
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 02/21/2008 14:58
Um, not really.
Crapsh00t's Avatar
Crapsh00t at 02/21/2008 16:12
America has fat people because our whole fucking outlook as consumers is based on "value." That is to say, the more food they can get for whatever they pay, the better. And they eat it all.

Thankfully my metabolism and contempt keep me from becoming one of them.
Zersturer's Avatar
Zersturer at 02/21/2008 16:19
@Crapsh00t
yeah contempt probably burns a thousand calories a day. Also is that a Goya on your av?
0bshaky's Avatar
0bshaky at 02/21/2008 21:42
Well Jim Sterling, what about loosing a couple pounds yourselve and talk about how video games saved your life? You could even serve as the Jared of video games!!
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