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Print 14 comment(s) - last by shortylickens.. on Feb 6 at 10:44 PM
The West Virginia education system hopes to use a video game to help battle obesity. Some kids just don't want to go outside and be active

It really no secret that adolescent obesity is a common problem that possibly doesn't get enough serious attention in the United States.  West Virginia, a state with one of the worst obesity problems in the nation, plans to implement the video game "Dance Dance Revolution" to help increase the physical activity of middle school students.  If all goes according to plan, every middle school in the state will be using the game within three years. 

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Arcade?
By Sunbird on 1/27/2006 4:41:12 AM , Rating: 2
Are'nt there arcade games like this?

If so, I only ever see girls playing on that arcade machine...

Now a racing game that requires physical exertion somehow I can see guys doing.




RE: Arcade?
By GoatMonkey on 1/27/2006 9:40:45 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I only ever see girls playing on that arcade machine

Exactly why you should learn to play.


RE: Arcade?
By oTAL on 1/29/2006 10:48:57 PM , Rating: 2
*hehehe*

I had that exact thought... Guess geeks and girls don't match... I should create a new kind of stereotype - geeks that actually get laid - glaiks?...


And the education of West Virginia....
By The Cheeba on 1/27/2006 4:45:33 AM , Rating: 2
The article fails to mention the education system of West Virginia is one of the worst in the nation:

http://www.msubillings.edu/caer/quality_rankings_o...

Cheeb.




By knowyourenemy on 1/27/2006 6:07:25 AM , Rating: 2
Well, there ya' have it.


You can lead a horse to water...
By Screwballl on 1/27/2006 10:20:13 AM , Rating: 2
this will be another case of the "fat kid" being shunned. the cool kids and the dancers will take all the time on the games and the fat kids will remain in the corner eating their cheetos. even those that do try will end up even worse off due to the heckling and mean nature of most kids in these types of situations.
As I am married to a big girl I know what goes through their head, and this is not the solution, just a way to get DDR makers more money.




By GoatMonkey on 1/27/2006 11:11:58 AM , Rating: 2
That is the same as any other gym activity. It won't hurt them to add one more.

There should be a separate class for kids like that to be in if they want to. Except that if there was a separate class the kids would make fun of them for being in the separate class.

Kids are pretty much just mean to other kids. Not much you can do about it. The kids have to work through it on their own. Either by getting in better shape, or mentally dealing with it.



VR
By modestninja on 1/27/2006 11:40:43 AM , Rating: 2
What they really need to make is a VR fps game where phycially run around and have a massive CS:S type battles... That way it'd be way more fun than the stupid DDR game and it would help keep kids in shape. Hell, I'd do dryland training to stay atop the leaderboard in CS:S.

This would also work for an MMORPG (like EQ or WoW) or even a regular RPG like Morrowind, you do so much running in those games that we'd cure the obesity problems of North America in no time, and it would be fun as hell!




RE: VR
By Sunbird on 1/27/2006 11:58:20 AM , Rating: 2
Something like CSS mixed with that laser quest thing, just have to watch for the hackers that disable their sensor suits, those spawn camping ^@&#*$ AWPers. You'd have a hard time getting kids away from phys ed.


edu study
By 8steve8 on 1/27/2006 9:26:56 AM , Rating: 2
um actually that study rates W.Virginia in the middle of the pack for student performance.

24th state overall in that category... the other categories are pretty worthless.

"teacher quality" is measured by how they do background checks on teachers, and if the individiual schools can hire/fire teachers... and if they get rewards for student performance.




Ampguard is fun too :P
By lobadobadingdong on 1/27/2006 12:57:40 PM , Rating: 2
Ampguard is fun too :P




wrong audience
By mindless1 on 1/28/2006 8:07:37 AM , Rating: 2
What they need to do is start enforcing child abuse laws if parents aren't feeding their kids healthy meals. Obesity does not happen solely due to a bit, some periods of inactivity from playing video games, not with kids that are still rapidly growing- it comes from the crappy western diet of refined carbs and fatty foods.




By shortylickens on 2/6/2006 10:44:14 PM , Rating: 2
While I do see the point of this plan, you dont need to spend money on video games or expensive VR stuff. We already have Counterstrike in the real world. Its called paintball. (To a lesser extent we also have airsoft, but that can get expensive.)
Most Middle Schools I know about already have dances for the students. The only reason I see for buying dancing games is Junior High kids will pay more attention if something is hi-tech.




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