Weblogs have become tremendous outlets for self-expression, thanks largely to the widespread – though not universal – diffusion of Internet services. In the days of yore, newspapers were the primary vehicles for editorials. Not anymore. Now, any individual with a computer and an Internet connection can share his/her views with the world. Many gaming sites, including this spectacular destination, allow users to maintain their own personal blogs.

Of course, the rise of online journals has also provided a plethora of opinionated windbags with global forums in which to speak. That’s OK though. It gives me stuff to ridicule.

Case in point, Winston Salem Fitness, a blog that recently posted an entry suggesting that Wii Fit – gasp – probably won’t remove excess amounts of jelly from American waists, thighs and posteriors. Surprisingly, the author didn’t mention anything about the death of Elvis, or cars having tires. Perhaps those are posts planned for the future.

Nintendo has positioned the exercise game as a catalyst for an active lifestyle, so it seems silly to expect it to cure obesity. Clearly the author hasn’t frequented too many gaming sites in the past year, or else he/she would have had this revelation long ago.

Even though the post praises Nintendo for releasing Wii Fit, the author says that isn’t enough.

“In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the video game industry needs to follow the route of the tobacco and alcohol manufacturers, and state that excessive use of their product could lead to inactivity and obesity, rather than try to make a half-hearted effort at increasing American activity levels,” the post reads.

This would seem to suggest warning labels akin to those that come with cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

Now politicians have been trying to slap extra stickers on game packaging for years, but this is the first time that I have seen or heard someone suggest an obesity label. While such a thing wouldn’t do any harm, it just seems like a laughably unnecessary idea.

First off, game makers are not responsible for the physical well-being of American children. If little Billy plays too many video games, it should be his legal guardians who stimulate change. Game companies and platform holders should not be expected to act as surrogate parents because the real parents would rather point the finger at another entity. To the author’s credit, he/she does implore parents to spend more time outside with their offspring. However, oftentimes, people blame childhood obesity on sugary snacks, video games and television, but fail to realize that it is parents who allow kids to eat too much candy or watch too much boob tube. Played in moderation, games can be a part of a healthy, active lifestyle. However, it’s when people spend too much time on the sofa that a problem arises.

I agree that America has a serious obesity problem. Far too many people are carrying surplus weight, and, as a result, are likely to develop serious health issues in the future. However, I don’t think that slapping an extra label on hardware and software will mitigate the problem. Most people probably already know that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to serious health issues, so the idea just seems superfluous.

This person seemingly fails to realize that many gamers choose to overindulge because they enjoy the activity, not because they are ignorant of the consequences.

Just look at the tobacco industry. Lots of people continue to smoke, despite cigarette warning labels.

Likewise, people continue to patronize fast food chains daily, even though most know that there are healthier options available.

I applaud Winston Salem Fitness for promoting health and wellness, but, just like Wii Fit, its idea isn’t going to curb obesity.

Source: Winston Salem Fitness via GamePolitics

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