May 16
Nintendo Calls Children Fat, Offers Videogame Solution
Normally, I would pay The Daily Mail no attention, but this story needed to be commented on.
Nintendo, arguably the company responsible for the last two generations of fat children (it’s never the parents’ fault for not limiting their child’s game time) has now gone so far as to include a rating scale in their new game WiiFit that works off of the much hated Body Mass Index (BMI).
There have been reports of children being told that they are ‘obese’ according to the rating that the game gives you based on said BMI number. Many of these unsightly, low-self-esteemed, butterball-ed children, along with their equally chunky parents, have seen this message of obesity and have become offended and gone ‘Wii Wii Wii all the way home’.
Nintendo issued a statement regarding the ‘obese’ message:
“Nintendo would like to apologise [sic] to any customers offended by the in-game terminology used to classify a player’s current BMI status, as part of the BMI measurement system integrated into Wii Fit.
Wii Fit is still capable of measuring the BMI for people aged between two and 20 but the resulting figures may not be entirely accurate for younger age groups due to varying levels of development.”
Being the fat kid that I was/am I would have taken the message as a form of inspiration. But then again, most of my life has been adversarial. I’ve always taken a guilty pleasure in indulging my “I’ll show you…” impulses.
I think people need to just lighten up, it’s only a game and it’s only a word. Keep playing that game kids and you just might be able to go from obese to average one day.
Categories: Articles, Nintendo, Wii4 Comments so far
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So, no one can say the “N” word, calling someone a fag is a hate crime, and now the medical term for being really fat is outlawed?? Society really needs to relax, and stop looking for ways to be offended. I can’t wait to get my hands on wii fit though! looks really fun!! And maybe it will prevent me from being obese. Anyone know if there’s a weight limit for that balance board?…
There is indeed a weight limit, but i think its over 350 lbs.
The problem is that the BMI is bunk. I’m 5′4″, 180 lbs, but it’s largely muscle and I’m more fit than not. However, just given the weight and height parameters, the BMI says that I am borderline obese. I know myself that it’s not true though, so I just ignore it.
BMI is a load of bullshit like dexter pointed out, albiet more eloquently. At 5′10″, 200 lbs, I think I’m borderline obese but considered simply overweight when looking at BMI; nevermind my sheer speed and strength from just two months of eating/training like a pro-athlete. If people (parents/kids) were more efficient with their time, fat kids wouldn’t be a problem.
Anyway, being offended that a video game is calling you obese? Based on the BMI merits, I guess that would make sense, but if you’re out of shape and it tells you this, you have no one to blame but yourself. Get off the couch and get in the gym.