Wii Fit Plus endorsed by UK’s Department of Health

Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus has been granted endorsement from the United Kingdom’s Department of Health. In a move that has surprised many, now Wii Fit Plus will be allowed to use the logo of the Change4Life campaign in its advertisements and stores – and probably on the product itself – beginning next year (2010).

The Change4Life campaign is a program sponsored by the UK’s government aimed at promoting an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. Now Nintendo will join other major companies including Pepsi and Cadbury providing funds to support the campaign.

This announcement comes as welcome news for the video game industry, often accused as being responsible for kids leading a sedentary life, which leads to obesity and other health problems. Wii Fit Plus‘s innovative mechanics have attracted children and people of all ages resulting in a more active pastime that can be practiced without leaving one’s home.

It’s great to see how video games are starting to become part of everyday life and how people keep coming up with new and better ways to apply them to other fields outside of entertainment. I’m sure that news like this will help end the notion that all video games are evil and a waste of time. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years instead of hitting that boring treadmill we will be able to get the same workout from a video game.

Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus was released October 4, 2009, in North America and will be available October 30, 2009, across Europe.

Read [BBC News] Also Read [Telegraph] Also Read [Gamertell] Site [Change4Life]