The Wiifit is a bully

[Nick_i_am]

http://kotaku.com/387910/wii-fit-to-little-girl-youre-fat

 

They should have called it 'big brother simulator'.

[Moatilliatta]

Let's ban Japan.

[kirottu]

Wiifit is a big jerkface! I

[Pidesco]

I'm willing to bet the kid actually is overweight.

[Moatilliatta]

She isn't according to BMI.

[Pidesco]

Maybe, but what I'm saying here is that I wouldn't trust the kid's parents as far as I could throw them.

[Moatilliatta]

It's for some strange reason easier for me to think that wiifit might actually have bugs (yes, I know, god forbid) rather than that the parents get off by lying on the internet.

 

The thing that irks me here is that the child broke down because of a game.

 

Also Japan hasn't been banned yet.

[Pidesco]

I'm not saying the parents are lying, just that they probably are very biased. And BMI isn't the most reliable thing in the world, especially for kids.

 

 

As for the game telling the kid she's fat, that is obviously, a bad thing, and stupid design.

[Nick_i_am]

I'd imagine it's because it was made for Japanese people.

[Pidesco]

http://www.epidemiologic.org/2006/10/obesi...ral-trends.html

 

 

I'd say Americans could use a machine that tells them they're fat.

[Moatilliatta]

And BMI isn't the most reliable thing in the world, especially for kids.

It is still just as reliable with children as with adults since it is just used different, she still isn't fat. It is true that BMI has inheretn flaws and the kid might still be fat, but the wii shouldn't be able to tell this unless it can measure bodyfat.

 

I'm somewhat intruiged by Nick's comment as there are differences in bodytypes and Nintendo might have handled this badly or the parents/kid might have done something wrong.

[Slowtrain]

http://www.epidemiologic.org/2006/10/obesi...ral-trends.html

 

 

I'd say Americans could use a machine that tells them they're fat.

 

 

Isn't the US population aging though? As people get older they do tend to gain weight. Also, wasn't the BMI recalculated a few years ago, greatly increasing the number of people in the obese category? Also I've heard that the BMI is to some degree a tool of the insurance companies since it allows them to charge higer rates to people based on their BMI.

 

No argument that the US has weight issues. I think most of that is simpy do to the fact we live in an increasingly passive society that requires less daily physical exterion than it once did. And if someone is not doing something physical it's physically easier to eat something as well. And if you eat Big Macs and sodas it is even worse.

 

But I think the use of BMI is at least questionable as a method of evaluation.

[Pidesco]

http://www.epidemiologic.org/2007/02/most-...s-in-world.html

 

Perhaps this ranking of countries can give a better idea of the situation.

[Slowtrain]

http://www.epidemiologic.org/2007/02/most-...s-in-world.html

 

Perhaps this ranking of countries can give a better idea of the situation.

 

 

I looked of Nauru on wikipedia:

 

An increased standard of living since independence has had some negative effects on the population. Nauruans are among the most obese people in the world, with 90% of adults overweight.[36] Nauru has the world's highest level of type 2 diabetes, with more than 40% of the population affected.[37] Other significant diet-related problems on Nauru include renal failure and heart disease. Life expectancy has fallen to 58.0 years for males and 65.0 years for females.[38]

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauru

 

 

ANyway, if the BMI is being compared evenly across the world then relatively it isn't looking good for the US regardless of whether BMI is accurate or not.

 

 

My advice to my fellow americans: Go to the gym and eat less junk.

[thepixiesrock]

It doesn't matter how fat the little girl was, there are just some things you shouldn't do, and one of those things is telling a little girl she is fat.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

...there are just some things you shouldn't do, and one of those things is telling a little girl she is fat.

 

I would disagree, sometimes people need to know that they are overweight.

[thepixiesrock]

Not children. Children have significantly less control over their eating habits and excercise. You have to look at the emotional impact that telling a child they are fat will have. There is no need for it anyway. You don't need to tell a child they are fat, the parents have enough control over the enviroment to have them eat healthy and excecise. I can understand your thinking if it is an adult, and if you are genuinely concerned with their weight to where you think it's unhealthy for them, but you disagreed with my statement about telling a little girl she is fat, and I don't see your justification for that.

[random n00b]

 

-Your BMI is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.

Edited May 7, 2008 by random n00b

[Tigranes]

There are a lot of fat US people. I don't think that can be denied at all, based on both statistical evidence and personal observation. It is a big, big difference between US and even New Zealand (which worries about being fat, too) or Korea/Japan.

 

Anyway, I wonder what standards the Wii-Fit uses for its designations of fat and thin.

[Hell Kitty]

Go here to see the Wii Fit weight thingy in action:

 

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/video/de...100&story=5

 

Actually you'll need to scroll down the box on the right right hand side to see the video.

[LostStraw]

From Wikipedia:

 

"The medical establishment has generally acknowledged some shortcomings of BMI.[10] Because the BMI is dependent only upon net weight and height, it makes simplistic assumptions about distribution of muscle and bone mass, and thus may overestimate adiposity on those with more lean body mass (e.g. athletes) while underestimating adiposity on those with less lean body mass (e.g. the elderly). For example Lance Armstrong was classified as "overweight" when he competed in the 1993 Tour de France."

 

The WiiFit is a jerk!

[Guest The Architect]

The WiiFit is fat!