Beverage companies blame video games for obesity
Said Kevin Keane, senior VP of the ABA, "It makes no sense to single out any one single cause of obesity, which is a complex problem." As quoted by the International Herald Tribune, "Keane said that if Newsom really wanted to fight the fat, he would take on computer and video game companies, which Keane said lured children inside when they should 'be outside burning calories.'"
Yes, folks, by this logic we shouldn't even bother to worry about soda causing obesity when video games - not Dance Dance Revolution or Rock Band drums, mind you, those other video games like BioShock and Spider Solitaire - are the bigger Cause of Fatness. In a wholly accurate scientific study, Joystiq editors reported feeling approximately 15 calories surge from our controller, through our hands, and into our bloodstreams for every double kill in Halo 3.
We jest, of course, but continuing with Keane's logic, we must say it makes no sense to single out video games when the real problem of obesity is existence itself. If Mayor Newsom really wanted to fight the fat, he should combat our very existence. If he obliterates that, then there'll be no more obesity.
Update: The ABA sends a response letter to Kotaku.
[Image Source. Via OXM; thanks, PrivateRyan]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
finnith @ Dec 19th 2007 10:14PM
If I had a dollar for each time somebody blamed video games for something that isn't caused by the video games I'd be a millionaire.
gonk @ Dec 19th 2007 11:06PM
damn that's a good first post
Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 1:19AM
You know you are right but that avatar of yours certainly doesn't helps.
Geist @ Dec 19th 2007 10:20PM
There are so many things I can say to this that my mind has reached gridlock with them all rushing to the surface.
SoulBlade @ Dec 19th 2007 10:20PM
This is just so stupid... especially coming from them. I hate seeing fucktards with Senior VP in their title.
colin @ Dec 19th 2007 10:23PM
videogames are the reason britney's little sister is pregnant.
GoldenS1104 @ Dec 19th 2007 10:45PM
She learned how to have sex from the hot coffee portion of San Andreas. GTA is the source of all the world's evil! Death to video games!
Sincerly,
Jack Thompson
Devin @ Dec 19th 2007 10:25PM
this was on digg yesterday but just to add a comment i saw...
"Breaking:Pepper blames dust for mass sneezing."
Dragod @ Dec 19th 2007 10:32PM
People love food. It doesn't take a freaking genius to tell you that people love cake, all-you-can-eat buffets, and Soft drinks.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Dec 19th 2007 10:34PM
THE CAKE IS A LIE
jackbauer @ Dec 19th 2007 10:38PM
It's sad how no one can post up the word "cake" without someone making that portal reference.
dan stabbingworth @ Dec 19th 2007 11:31PM
It's awesome how someone posts up the word "cake" and someone makes that portal reference.
There, I fixed it for you.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Dec 19th 2007 10:33PM
Just the title of this article cracked me up.
jackbauer @ Dec 19th 2007 10:36PM
HAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......
Wait it wasn't a joke?
Chainblast @ Dec 19th 2007 10:36PM
Is anyone else amused by this? Three months ago Halo 3 and Master Chief were plastered all over cans of Mountain Dew, claiming it to be gamer fuel. I guess it goes to show people will say anything if the price is right. Or in this case wrong.
Chrysee @ Dec 19th 2007 10:40PM
Can we just be rid of high fructose corn syrup finally?
Someone tell me if this is right, in other countries sodas don't use corn syrup, correct? And evidently in Australia you can't find shortening?
Razorlution @ Dec 19th 2007 10:44PM
Hmmm, lets see. How about we blame the parents who let their kids play 12 hour sessions of World of Warcraft....or leaving them alone in their room to play....whatever, all day.
How about the parents get their kids involved in some extra cullicular activities or sports, there is more to life than gaming.
GoldenS1104 @ Dec 19th 2007 10:50PM
You left out the non-kids. The adults who live on their own. As for them, they probably shouldn't be living on their own if they don't have the discipline to get some excercise and eat a f*cking piece of fruit. Seriously, the only people to blame are the people themselves. The beverage companies aren't helping by adding all that artificial crap to their drinks, but I guess as Americans we have the right to be unhealthy fat-asses if we so choose.
Jake11 @ Dec 19th 2007 10:50PM
guys, let's boycott the beverage industry, we don't really need drinks to live
gonk @ Dec 19th 2007 10:58PM
there's always water
neoalec @ Dec 19th 2007 10:54PM
I hate high fructose corn syrup. I wish soda had sugar in it, like in Mexico. Any deterrent against using high fructose corn syrup in food gets my support.
finnith @ Dec 19th 2007 10:56PM
Isn't the sugar syrup cheaper? If so, then it's unlikely.
Jim Halpert DM @ Dec 19th 2007 11:04PM
I play video games because I drink soda, not drink soda because I play video games.
ThornedVenom @ Dec 19th 2007 11:14PM
Let me LMFAO on this one.
*LMFAO-bombs*
Chris M @ Dec 19th 2007 11:21PM
Who the F**k cares
if people want to eat and be fat they will and if people want to be skinny they will and no amount of playing the blame game will change that.
people have something called "free will" and that allows us to do what we want when we want(almost)
how about we stop playing the blame game and actually blame the cause(shock horror)people themselves that do not have the discipline or the mental capacity to say NO
Robobagins @ Dec 19th 2007 11:30PM
I'm all for what you said, except taking responsibly for our actions is political suicide. So we're going to blame you instead!
Thierry @ Dec 19th 2007 11:51PM
We need Video Games lobbyists, it has become the escape goat of every major industries out there lately. Assuming the soda companies are correct, what do they have to say about the factions of skinny gamers who consume soda while playing games?
Booxatron @ Dec 20th 2007 10:22AM
Not sure if it was just a typo, but the proper term is 'scapegoat'.
Kraig Rauch @ Dec 20th 2007 12:02AM
You Can't blame Video Games. Just think about this Question:
How can you eat and play Halo 3 with just 2 hands?
Mighty Shockwave @ Dec 20th 2007 12:05AM
As I said on Digg, no material thing is a cause of obesity. Unless the one is being FORCED to consume (in an economic sense) a product that stimulates the growth of fat cells and hinders the breakdown of storage fats, then it is just another thing on the market. You just as easily exercise as play Halo, or just as easily drink water as an alternative to Coca-Cola (no coke jokes on my watch). You can even balance all four in some strange clusterfuck of choice.
Videogames/Soda don't make people fat, people make themselves fat.
gonk @ Dec 20th 2007 12:31AM
to quote Luke Skywalker:
That's not true! That's impossible!
Mighty Shockwave @ Dec 20th 2007 12:52AM
Search your feelings, you know it to be an accurate statement. Together, we can end obesity, and rule skinny people as...robot and..thing.
P.S. What is your avatar? It's been bugging me for ages.
Yuccadude @ Dec 20th 2007 1:38AM
It's meatwad from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, but he's wearing some sort of costume.
gonk @ Dec 20th 2007 2:19AM
it's from the "edork" episode.
sometimes it's up on http://www.adultswim.com/video/index.html
GCNH87 @ Dec 20th 2007 1:06AM
Well done with the article image, Ross Miller. ;D
respect++
rockeranimefreak @ Dec 20th 2007 2:15AM
It's O.K. Soda loves video games now! =) Kotaku told me so. http://kotaku.com/336032/soda-says-sorry-to-videogames
ALH @ Dec 20th 2007 5:42AM
'"if Newsom really wanted to fight the fat, he would take on computer and video game companies, which Keane said lured children inside when they should 'be outside burning calories.'"'
I think before he tackles games he needs to really lay down on the problems of books and TV. What modern blights on society! you cant even be social when reading a book!
RogueJedi86 @ Dec 20th 2007 6:48AM
I think the Beverage companies need to realize one thing: Sure kids aren't burning the fat because they're playing video games, but where does the fat come from? From the foods and drinks they consume. If you reduce the obesity-causing ingredients in your products, people won't have to worry about having to burn it off. Don't blame the video games for making kids not burn the fat, accept the blame for causing the fat in the first place.
Blazur @ Dec 20th 2007 8:31AM
With the exception of Wii Fit, of course.
evilJaze @ Dec 20th 2007 8:40AM
Did anyone else notice the irony of that dude saying it was irresponsible to blame obesity on one cause and then in the next breath he blamed video games??
Speddy @ Dec 20th 2007 9:33AM
Maybe if taxes and energy weren't so high, both my parents need not BOTH work to pay them, and thus I could spend more outside-quality time with atleast one of them. But no, I am confined to my media center, doomed to play CoD4, and my only sustainment is the 5 for $10 12packs of Pepsi, Dr Pepper and Coke...mmmmm.
"Mom, can I have a dollar for the coke machine at school?" "So why do fastfood chains not get penalized for that "biggie" for only $.60 more?"
JMARR @ Dec 20th 2007 11:57AM
as 7inches of fluffy white snow falls on my town currently, I finally see snow for what it really is: it drives people inside while they should be outside burning calories!
The solution is simple: stop snow and you will stop obesity! of course , it's a seasonal rule for seasonal fatties :)
Michael @ Dec 20th 2007 7:27PM
Call me crazy but maybe just maybe obesity wouldnt be a problem if people exercise more and eat right.
Nah that would never work what was I thinking!
Death to video games!