Nintendo has been making a big push to get kids active, and are promoting the Wii as a healthy part of one’s lifestyle.  Apparently, one researcher has decided to put the Wii to the test.  A group of 9-12 year old children were given a Wii.  Half of the kids were given an active game such as Wii Sports, and the other half were given an inactive game such as Super Mario Galaxy.  The kids were all strapped with an accelerometer to judge their activity level throughout the day.  The treatment group, the ones with active games, did not engage in more physical activity than the control group who played inactive games.

I know a lot of parents try to use the Wii as a Trojan horse of sorts to sneak fitness into their child’s lifestyle.  According to this study, that won’t work.  However, I’d be interested in seeing how the Wii works for those who are making a conscious effort to lost weight.