A Growing Trend: Video Games Tackling Obesity, Health and School Success

Although games and devices that require physical activity beyond movement of one’s thumbs, such as the Nintendo Power Pad, have been around for years, the availability, popularity and ease of use of such games have taken a giant step forward in the form of one console in particular: the Nintendo Wii. A video game system that requires active rather than sedentary participation (for instance, swinging the controller like a bat for a baseball game), the Wii is transforming the console landscape. One game in particular, Wii Fit, and its accompanying “balance board,” turns the video game console into what some consider a legitimate means of developing a habit of daily exercise. Wii Fit has already sold more than 8.7 million units and if it continues at this pace it will surpass Grand Theft Auto IV in sales. Other Wii games, including Wii Sports, also encourage a great deal of physical activity. Many socalled non-traditional users report enjoyment of and ease of play with such games, making the Wii a rare piece of video game technology that is becoming popular with people of all ages. The Wii is thus opening up the video game market to new users and at the same time causing people to rethink the way they play video games.

Video games are beginning to be used to promote better health in a variety of other ways besides requiring physical activity. One notable 2008 release is, Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking, a game based on the bestselling book of the same name. This game is designed to help players choose a healthier lifestyle simply through playing the game. The 2008 Games For Health Conference in Baltimore, Md., featured panel discussions on “exergames” (games that involve physical exercise), but it also explored the possibilities of health education games such as Re-Mission (a game that teaches young people about cancer), and demonstrated innovations in using video games as a method for pain distraction and anxiety reduction for patients in hospitals.

Allstate, the insurance provider, also announced it might use video games to promote health and safety. If the plan is implemented, the company will provide a discount on the premiums of customers who play games designed to combat age-related cognitive decline.

Schools are also increasingly using video games as innovative teaching techniques. This past fall, 109 New York City middle schools began using Dimension M, a fast-paced Jeopardy!-like video game that quizzes students on pre-algebra and algebra topics. The use of video games in learning has also extended into the standardized testing world. Currently, the Princeton Review Inc. and Aspyr Media Inc. are offering SAT prep material in video game form.