Konami battles to draw with childhood obesity

by Jared Rea { Feb 1st 2007 at 12:05PM }

It was a year ago that Konami teamed up with the state of West Virginia to put Dance Dance Revolution in all 765 schools in their district. The idea being that kids are going high tech and their weight was going with it. Could stomping on arrows five days a week really save these kids from a life of having to wash themselves with a rag on a stick?

Maybe. At the end of the study, researchers discovered that while not all the kids lost weight, the majority were prevented from gaining any more. While there were no wild success stories, improvements ranged from greater blood vessel function to enhanced aerobic capacities.

More importantly, the overall attitude towards working out something other than the butt groove in their couch was significantly enhanced, encouraging those who participated to continue working out. No word on if any of them now aspire to become back-up dancers for Justin Timberlake.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ShortFuse @ Feb 1st 2007 12:12PM

lol! where the hell do you find these pictures!?

wait in the car @ Feb 1st 2007 12:15PM

It's been years since I've seen the truffle shuffle. Thanks Joystiq!

Jake @ Feb 1st 2007 12:18PM

The truffle shuffle. Well played, Joystiq. Well played.

Beaudry @ Feb 1st 2007 12:23PM

Kids don't need to lose weight to get thinner. They are constantly growing and developing.

Sir Josh @ Feb 1st 2007 12:28PM

truffle shuffle!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=35oAe2FZweg

silkylove @ Feb 1st 2007 12:27PM

Chunk is a god:)

http://chunkps3.ytmnd.com/

Agent MOO @ Feb 1st 2007 12:29PM

Parents just need to be responsible, don't feed your kids shitty food, and teach them to turn off the games and go outside and get some exercise beating up hookers in real life.

Negativecool @ Feb 2nd 2007 12:16AM

That pic was well played indeed. However, it is counter productive. The coolness of the truffle shuffle, or Chunk, FAR far outweigh ANY posted story associated with it. Leading to 90% of comments on chunk and 10% on the story of luke warm success with getting video games to cure fatties.

32_Footsteps @ Feb 1st 2007 12:58PM

Ah, Konami and the Goonies. Brings back so many memories of hearing a MIDI version of Cyndi Lauper in the background of a game.

fawazr @ Feb 1st 2007 1:01PM

This is a societal problem. Americans are just plain old obese. A video game in the cafeteria won't change that. Most of us are just hardwired to be fat and physically inactive. IMO, it's not so bad. In time, complications arising from rampant obesity will only serve to separate the wheat from the chaff.

LunarDuality @ Feb 1st 2007 1:10PM

Just stopping kids from gaining more weight would be a *huge* improvement in this country considering the widespread epidemic that is childhood obesity. Yes, parents need to take more responsibility. Yes, this is the not the be all end all of obesity treatments. However, if it can help change the stigma of "working out" being such a drag and actually get usually sedentary kids moving (and thus improving their health) it'll be a great thing.

I applaud Virginia for taking such an unconventional step toward improving the lives (and educations) of kids in their state!

Crono @ Feb 1st 2007 1:16PM

You know, we didn't have an obesity epidemic back in the 80's and 90's when barbie and ken had totally unrealistic features that kids supposedly always tried to emulate.

Course, we didn't have the internet or widespread cable TV to keep kids inside and lazy instead of going out and playing.

We also had recess and tag was allowed at school.

Farseer @ Feb 1st 2007 1:44PM

@fawazr:

Your post is confusing; first you say: "This is a societal problem." then you say: "Most of us are just hardwired to be fat and physically inactive..."

So, do you think that childhood obesity is a social or biological issue?

Justin @ Feb 1st 2007 2:07PM

Seriously - it's "their", not "they're".

ShortFuse @ Feb 1st 2007 2:10PM

http://jonaderks.wordpress.com/2006/12/03/family-guy-truffle-shuffle/

Blitzkrieg @ Feb 1st 2007 3:39PM

I used to be over weight. Once I ended up at the hospital at age 21 with my heart going wacky, I figured it was time to stop screwing around and loose some. Starting with changing my diet completely, whole grains, small portions, breakfast, no junk food, I decided one of the best ways to start working out would be DDR. I've been an avid gamer since 3, so what better tool to help me loose the weight then the very thing I let take control of me causing me to gain so much.

I started doing Workout mode in DDR Ultramix 1 for Xbox, 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week. With the combination of the diet and DDR, being consistent and not giving up, I was able to drop 5lbs a week. I kept up with this for 4.5 months, going from 250lbs to 165lbs. Best thing I've ever done in my life, and DDR was a great tool to help me achieve it. Even when I was being put down for trying to lose weight though a silly video game or that I was too heavy to be dancing, I sure as hell showed everyone. :D

Now being slimmer, I have a very active lifestyle, doing real physical activity before I even think of gaming. I would love to see DDR more widely adopted as a way for gaming kids to get more active. All you have in the end is your health, family and friends. Throwing your health out the window to game is not the way to go.

DarkTetsuya @ Feb 1st 2007 3:47PM

Well, Konami *did* make a Goonies game, and the theme song is even included in one of their other series, "Pop'n Music"

fawazr @ Feb 1st 2007 5:42PM

@Farseer

Is social hardwiring unlikely? Take, for instance, McDonald's. I personally love carbonated high fructose corn syrup and low grade meat slapped between buns made from inferior bread. But my yearning for artery-clogging indulgences are the same yearnings I've had since I was a child. They are yearnings that were repeatedly reinforced in school, church, home, and even through the toys and coloring books found at the dentist's office. That sort of social reinforcement is akin to hardwiring, is it not?

Either way, it all comes down to social Darwinism: Those who can't reign in their appetites or exercise their bodies will perish. Those who can will thrive. That's a good thing. It ensures that better people will populate our future world.

StReEtWaLkeR @ Feb 1st 2007 8:07PM

I am a 3rd generation DDR player, certain players have their own levels of playing, everyone has their own pace when playing a game....the true reason of playing any game is that they just want to have fun....but....sometimes society tends bring you down (people point at you, mock you, yell at you etc.)...then they play the game they suck even more.......matter the fact is what your feeling is which is True Power....no one can understand it but it makes you a stronger & better human.