An innocent Nintendo game about balance and fitness is probably the last product that would ever come to mind when you think about video game controversy, but Nintendo's popular Wii Fit (which went on sale in Europe in late April and is launching in the U.S. on May 19) has prompted some experts to question Nintendo's methods for measuring body weight and fitness.
A report in the U.K. paper Daily Mail highlighted an incident in which a 10-year-old girl was told by the Wii Fit software that she's "fat." The girl was very upset to be told that and the parents were none too pleased.
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A famous video game creator for Japanese video game giant Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, demonstrates how to use the new fitness video game on the new balancing board controller for the company's video game console Wii in Chiba, suburban Tokyo, 10 October 2007. Nintendo will launch the new fitness video game softwarer WiiFit including the balancing board controller on 01 December.
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A famous video game creator for Japanese video game giant Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, demonstrates how to use the new fitness video game on the new balancing board controller for the company's video game console Wii in Chiba, suburban Tokyo, 10 October 2007. Nintendo will launch the new fitness video game softwarer WiiFit including the balancing board controller on 01 December.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images
The famous video game creator for Japanese video game giant Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, displays the new balancing board controller for the company's video game console Wii in Chiba, suburban Tokyo, 10 October 2007. Nintendo will launch a new fitness video game software WiiFit, including the balancing board controller on 01 December.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images
The famous video game creator for Japanese video game giant Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, displays the new balancing board controller for the company's video game console Wii in Chiba, suburban Tokyo, 10 October 2007. Nintendo will launch a new fitness video game software WiiFit, including the balancing board controller on 01 December.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images
Tokyo, JAPAN: Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto displays the remote control of the new video game console 'Wii' at a press preview in Tokyo. Nintendo recalled 3.2 million wrist straps for its new Wii console ,15 December 2006, after reports of enthusiastic users inadvertently sending the motion-sensing controller crashing into their TV screens.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images
Tokyo, JAPAN: Japan's video game giant Nintendo game creator Shigeru Miyamoto (L), known as the father of Super Mario, and President Satoru Iwata playing a tennis game during a demonstration at a press conference in Tokyo. The Japanese electronic game maker Nintendo said Friday 15 December 2006 it was not recalling motion-sensing controllers for its new Wii model but would exchange wrist straps that have broken inadvertently. 'Nintendo is not recalling wrist straps furnished with the motion-sensing remote control unit for its new computer game Wii,' the company said in a French-language statement received in Paris.
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Nintendo's Wii Games Console To Go On Sale In Europe
TOKYO - DECEMBER 7: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata (R) and software creator Shigeru Miyamoto (L) demonstrate game Wii during a press conference on December 7, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Wii will go on sale on December 8 in Europe.Junko Kimura/Getty Images
Nintendo's Wii Games Console To Go On Sale In Europe
TOKYO - DECEMBER 7: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata (L) and software creator Shigeru Miyamoto (R) present the Wii game console during a press conference on December 7, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Wii will go on sale on December 8 in Europe.Junko Kimura/Getty Images
Nintendo's Wii Games Console To Go On Sale In Europe
TOKYO - DECEMBER 7: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata (L) and software creator Shigeru Miyamoto (R) present the company's new remote games console, Wii, during a press conference on December 7, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Wii will go on sale on December 8 in Europe.Junko Kimura/Getty Images
Tokyo, JAPAN: Japan's video game giant Nintendo President Satoru Iwata (L) and the company's game creator Shigeru Miyamoto, known as father of Super Mario, shows a controler from Nintendo's new video game console 'Wii' at a press conference in Tokyo 07 December 2006. Nintendo said 15 December 2006 that it will recall 3.2 million hand straps for its new Wii games console after reports of users inadvertently throwing the motion-sensing controller into their TV screens.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images
"She is a perfectly healthy, 4ft 9in tall 10-year-old who swims, dances and weighs only six stone," said the father. "She is solidly built but not fat. She was devastated to be called fat and we had to work hard to convince her she isn't. I know it is just a game but we already have to worry about young girls starving themselves to look like magazine models and now we have a game that tells them they're fat. This to me is very worrying."
It's apparently worrying to Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum as well. In Wii Fit after a player enters his/her height, the software uses BMI to measure body fat based on an adult's height and weight. Fry, however, thinks the measurement is misleading and he'd like to see children banned from playing the game.
"I'm absolutely aghast that children are being told they are fat," he said. "BMI is far from perfect but with children it simply should not be used. A child's BMI can change every month and it is perfectly possible for a child to be stocky, yet still very fit. I would be very concerned if children were using this game and I believe it should carry a warning for parents."
For its part, Nintendo acknowledged that it's not the most accurate tool for children to measure body fat and the company apologized. "Nintendo would like to apologize to any customers offended by the in-game terminology used to classify a player's current BMI status, as part of the BMI measurement system integrated into Wii Fit," a company rep said. "Wii Fit is still capable of measuring the BMI for people aged between two and 20 but the resulting figures may not be entirely accurate for younger age groups due to varying levels of development."
Reader Comments (525)
the parents were pissed? im pissed that they got a 10 year old kid thats fat...how about the parents get off their fat asses and cut back on their kids candy bars....stupid people
It's a game, retards. They seriously want to put a warning label on it? I have it all ready to go for them. Caution: If you look like an oompa loompa, this game may hurt your feelings
I have a question...Was WII right? Is the child fat? no further questions. KAT lady
It seems to me that the child messed up when entering her weight or something or the father lied about the weight. Because the childs BMI even by adult standards is in lower normal. So by no means if this was calculated would it say she was fat. So I dont know. We do need someone to tell kids they are fat if they are, no use being so sensitive about it. Someone need to do it. Maybe it will save their life!
Lmao its a Dum@ Stup@D Game get a real ife
After reading the article a few thoughts came to mind like both the parents and the child understand its a game. I mean give me a break.... why do they make a big deal out of this. I hope their daughter never lost a game and have the game call her a loser.... then what, will she have depression and will her parents sue nintendo for their daughters anti-depression meds. I think that it calling her fat isnt a big deal, its not like she is on a piece of medical equipment made to accurately measure her body. Also to be offended so easily and calls to have children banned from playing it would be going overboard. Its just a game!!!! People are only offended if they want to be.... Or are peoples self-worth so fickle that a comment made by a video game causes them emotional distress.... i just cant believe that people buy into this crap. I hope i offend all those who want to be offended by this comment--- enjoy =P FAT!
MacDonalds..........Need I say more?
After reading the article a few thoughts came to mind like both the parents and the child understand its a game. I mean give me a break.... why do they make a big deal out of this. I hope their daughter never lost a game and have the game call her a loser.... then what, will she have depression and will her parents sue nintendo for their daughters anti-depression meds. I think it that it calling her fat isnt a big deal, its not like she is on a piece of medical equipment made to accurately measure her body. Also to be offended so easily and calls to have children banned from playing it would be going overboard. Its just a game!!!! People are only offended if they want to be.... Or are peoples self-worth so fickle that a comment made by a video game causes them emotional distress.... i just cant believe that people buy into this crap. I hope i offend all those who want to be offended by this comment--- enjoy =P FAT!
She's a CHILD!!!!! She's not responsible for her eating habits or her weight -- her parents are!!!! And according to article, she's NOT fat. She is within normal weight range. But the game shouldn't scold children who are overweight. Overweight kids get enough grief from their peers. I don't blame this child, or her parents, for being upset over a game company that wants to be hip and cool, making fun of overweight children.
ptwoodycrew: Oh yeah, all those 1 in 3 schoolkids are OBESE as a result of medical conditions or genetics. TYPICAL: Using the exceptional situation to excuse away the many cases where the exception obviously does not apply. Have you ever WONDERED why stomack reduction actually works? It's because these people cant stuff more stuff down there, ergo, they can't eat as much. NOTHING that self control could not also accomplish, just like quitting smoking, or alcohol. SURE it is not easy, but it can be done. For you of course, just keep taking the Prozac, Ritalin, etc to feel good. And again, what about the costs to the environment and society by these gluttons? As the old line goes: You'r not big boned, dinosaurs are big boned, face it, you're FAT!