Joystiq

White House courts devs to make healthy eating games

JC Fletcher — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

In a video presentation at the Game Developers Choice Awards, White House chief technology officer Aneesh Chopra discussed the Apps for Healthy Kids project, a plan to encourage game developers to collaborate with government to work against childhood obesity.

The latest component, an Apps for Healthy Kids contest tasks game developers with creating games that help encourage good exercise and diet habits among kids and give parents information about what their children eat -- with $40,000 in prizes for the winning games. The apps, to be submitted in either "tool" or "game" categories, will integrate the data from MyFoodapedia.gov, a database of the caloric content of common food.

In a letter, First Lady Michelle Obama told game devs, "You know better than most the power of games to deeply engage our nation's youth. Today I'm asking you to dedicate your creative energy skills to address one of America's biggest challenges and help make healthy living fun, exciting and relevant for kids."

[Via Gamasutra]

White House courts devs to make healthy eating games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LGJ: And still, they want to take away our games

Mark Methenitis — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games:

As of late, it seems I've become sort of a policy spokesman for issues concerning the government intervening in the game industry, especially in the wake of my debate with Jack Thompson. However, the discussion over whether violent content can be policed under the First Amendment is getting tired, and the courts have universally declared "no" at this point. Rather than go down that road again, I want to discuss two new ways that the government could attack games; one of which came up in the debate itself.

The first is probably the more mundane of the two, and it's the seemingly frequent specter of imposing political correctness on games. In fact, this issue came up yet again this week as a discussion related to not just Resident Evil 5, but also Left 4 Dead 2 and Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. Of course, the claims here were racism and cultural insensitivity. The irony is that now that the games themselves are seemingly more inclusive of characters other than white males and large breasted women, the assumption is automatically that use of more diverse settings and characters must have malicious motives, rather than crediting the industry for finally being more inclusive.

Continue reading LGJ: And still, they want to take away our games

LGJ: And still, they want to take away our games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vector City Racers aims to combat childhood obesity

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:00:00 EST

Childhood obesity is a big problem in the US, and Vector Entertainment and the Childhood Obesity Foundation are teaming up to try and do something about it. Enter Vector City Racers, a casual multiplayer online game and community that seeks to teach kids aged six to twelve about eating healthily.

The game is in closed beta right now, but you can still check out the site and experience the game for yourself. We hopped on there for a few minutes and didn't find anything that would help obese kids. There weren't any health tips or motivational phrases laying around, and we didn't avoid the accursed chocolate chip monsters or anything, so we're wondering just how Vector City Racers plans to combat childhood obesity. Maybe that information will be available after the beta.

Vector City Racers aims to combat childhood obesity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 May 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK Government targets gaming industry for anti-obesity program

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Politics

No, ever-vigilant commenters, this is not a double post -- just further proof that the rest of the civilized world thinks that gamers are a bunch of Cheeto dust-coated fatties. As part of the UK Department of Health's £372 million action plan to reduce obesity, the UK government will work with the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association to make sure that game companies continue to create parental controls on how much time their offspring can spend playing video games, watching TV, or surfing The Innernette.

We're sure this will be very effective in lowering your nation's total weight -- if not, you could always invent some sort of national monthly sandwich allotment to try to curb overeating; or maybe require all comfortable armchairs to deliver powerful electrical jolts into anyone who has been sitting for longer than twenty minutes. Yeah, that sounds great.

UK Government targets gaming industry for anti-obesity program originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Mexico legislators consider video game tax for outdoor programs

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Politics

The mainstream media and other non-consumers of video games have been portraying gamers as pasty, bleary-eyed shut-ins since the 8-bit days -- aside from some bruised feelings, that stereotype never really did us any harm. However, a recent proposal of the powerful environmental organization The Sierra Club to the New Mexico state legislature may put a dent in the pockets of consumers and retailers living in the Land of Enchantment.

The proposal calls for a 1 percent sales tax on televisions and video games; the proceeds of which would go to "outdoor education programs". According to an article in the Huffington Post, these programs would counteract the negative effects of video games -- "lower academic scores, obesity, and increased attention-deficit disorder." Supporters of the "No Child Left Inside" movement tried to pass a similar bill last year, but were unsuccessful.

Unsurprisingly, gaming advocacy groups have spoken out against the bill's obvious shortcomings, such as its assumption that video games are the sole contributor to childhood obesity, lower grades and ADD. We couldn't agree more. The only weight we've gained from being gaming enthusiasts is from our skin growing thicker due to constant attacks on our lifestyle.

New Mexico legislators consider video game tax for outdoor programs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK McDonald's chief blames game industry for obesity

Kyle Orland — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Fashion

We're used to scientists, the government and even beverage companies taking the game industry to task for contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic. But now there's a new, even more unlikely source using gaming as an obesity scapegoat -- McDonald's.

Talking to the London Times, McDonald's UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said games are part of a "lifestyle element" that has led to a rise in childhood obesity. "There's fewer green spaces and kids are sat home playing computer games on the TV when in the past they'd have been burning off energy outside," he said.

To be fair, Easterbrook didn't lay the blame completely at gaming's feet. "The issue of obesity is complex," he said, while also acknowledging that the government, the food industry, and good old personal responsibility have their part to play in solving the problem. Still, any organization that serves a "deluxe breakfast" with 59 grams of fat should be very careful when shifting the blame.

UK McDonald's chief blames game industry for obesity originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British Medical Journal study: Wii Sports doesn't replace exercise

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii

A British Medical Journal study finds UK gamers playing Wii only used 2% more energy than gamers of other consoles. Obviously the UK study needed the US version of WiiFit with Jackie Warner, she'll push them from 2% to 200% -- no crying. The BBC reports on the most "captain obvious" qualities of the report like "time spent in front of television and computer screens has been linked to physical inactivity and obesity." We'd like to point out that so has reading and eating.

The comprehensive study of -- wait, is this right? The comprehensive study of six boys and five girls between 13 and 15 years old found playing Wii Sports expended 60kcal per hour compared with other consoles. Two things we learn from this report: 1) Parents should tie a leash around their kid and stick 'em on a treadmill if they are too afraid to let them outside. 2) All the BBC reporters have left for holiday already and the interns have taken over the news division.

British Medical Journal study: Wii Sports doesn't replace exercise originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beverage companies blame video games for obesity

Ross Miller — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

On Monday, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom submitted a proposal that he hopes will curtail obesity by applying a financial deterrent to drinks with high fructose corn syrup - in other words, a surcharge on soda. (Amount of surcharge has yet to be defined.) Understandably aggravated by this measure is the American Beverage Association, who pulls out one of our favorite red herrings in its defense.

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]

Beverage companies blame video games for obesity originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Health insurance + video games = "medutainment"?

Kyle Orland — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Online

In a trend being somewhat sickeningly referred to as "medutainment" health insurers are increasingly trying to educate their customers on healthy living through video games, reports AIS Health Business Daily. Humana is working with USC's GamePipe Labs to create games about exciting topics like "diabetes, obesity and medical adherence," while Kaiser Permanente has created The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective to teach kids not to eat junk food.

It's a great idea in concept, but if The Amazing Food Detective is any indication, it's not going to work so well in practice. Shoehorning a blunt educational message into an extremely basic interactive "game" isn't going to get kids (or adults, for that matter) to really engage with their health any more than those cheesy health assemblies back in elementary school did. If insurance companies really want to encourage healthier living through games, they should just let people purchase Wiis with their flexible spending accounts and waggle their way to fitness.

Health insurance + video games = "medutainment"? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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