What Are the Health Benefits of Wii & Wii Fit?

The Wii is a home video gaming system that uses wireless technology to deliver a virtual reality experience to its users. The Wii comes with several accessories including both wireless and nonwireless controllers that plug into the Wii system. The Wii Fit promotes physical activity with its interactive sports and fitness games. There is a variety of gaming options to choose from for all ages and fitness levels.

Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular health and daily fitness are important for optimal health. One way you can improve or supplement your daily workout is by using the Wii Fit. The Wii Fit allows you to choose from a variety of cardiovascular exercises that you follow with the game on your television screen. The Wii has a wireless motion detector that picks up on every move including your torso, hands, arms and legs. The American Heart Association endorses the Wii Fit by Nintendo and recommends that everyone should engage in 30 minutes of low to moderate cardiovascular activities daily. This can be achieved by playing Wii games on the Wii Fit including golf, bowling, aerobics, kick-boxing and Hula Hoops.

Weight Loss

Keeping excess pounds off and staying in shape is essential in staying healthy. Wii challenges obesity by making video gaming an engaging and physical experience rather than a sedentary one. The Wii has hand-held controllers that you can use to engage muscle groups. The Wii Fit board tracks your body mass index, current weight and endurance levels in an individualized form. The screen guides you on how to make the right moves and how many repetitions you have left with each session. Wii can help you lose weight and has popular fitness endorsers such as "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels to help you feel like you are getting a one-on-one personal training session.

Muscle Strength

The Wii improves muscle strength and also lets you engage in activities that help with balance and coordination. By engaging in virtual reality games that include snowboarding, boxing, soccer and skiing, you can build up muscles that you may not have used in a long time or have atrophied. A study in the July 2013 issue of "The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences," shows that when elderly subjects played active Wii games for 10 weeks, they improved their balance, strengthened leg muscles and improved overall physical performance.

Disease Prevention

In some cases the Wii and Wii Fit may be able to prevent some diseases. Engaging in physical activity up to five days a week for 30 or more minutes a day can prevent life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, liver disease and certain types of cancers. The Wii and Wii Fit can make your workout experience more exciting by placing you as a character inside the game. This can be enticing for kids and adults of all ages and is a fun way to promote physical activity and reduce the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.