New Video Game Aims To Teach Kids About Food & Dieting - Will It Work?

by Drake Hess on September 26, 2007 at 2:26 pm

Quick! The baby is about to say his first words — I think he said “McDonalds”

The problem, obesity in United States children is out of control. Rates are rising and everyone seems to be looking for a canned solution. In steps a new video game called “The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective”. The idea behind the game is to educate children ages 9 and 10 about food and diet.

How does the game work you ask? Well outside of the games missions and printable scavenger hunts, it shuts down automatically after 20 minutes of play. If that isn’t enough to get your little one off their butt then you can activate another setting that will not allow the game to start up again for at least 60 minutes.

Will this really work? I can’t help but think back to when I was a kid. I didn’t have a computer to tell me what to eat and when I sat down to play a video game it had nothing to do with food — well Mario did chomp down mushrooms but lets not get into that. My point is that education and building good habits are the responsibility of the parents, not the family computer.

While the game seems a bit far fetched, how can any one video game combat school systems around the world that agree to allow vending machines and advertisements for the newest junk food in their schools. These are the places we send our children to learn about what is right in the world, so why is it they think it is ok to sell out and pollute our children’s minds with garbage.

It doesn’t take long to realize what a more effective solution would be — ban soda vending machines and candy vending machines from schools. Stop allowing companies that make junk food and fast food to promote their junk with kid friendly icons. We banned Joe Camel why not Mike and Ike? Why can’t candy just be candy? Why does it have to be a fun looking happy character?

If this country is serious about reducing the waist line of its youth then stop wasting time and focus on the “meat and potatoes” of the problem.

Source: Reuters

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