In a way, it's true, they just aren't looking far enough back.

The question isn't "what are they doing instead of getting into the outside world?" it should be "why are they finding other things to do in preference to the outside world?"

It's a vicious circle, and, in many ways, computer games are the victim here more than, for example TV, since TV tries to convince you that the real world is filled with terrorists and phsycopaths, fear is a powerful motivator, whereas a game is not trying to tell you the 'truth' in any way, it is merely trying to be entertaining, Id Games saying that Hitler rode around in a robotic spider is not the same as, for example, Fox News claiming the same thing.

Simple solution. 

Either try to get parent's involved in getting their kids to disconnect from their consoles or just shut up and let the fatties die of heart attacks.

Its called weeding out the weak......

 They're right. All these video games that encourage healthy lifestyles and exercise are evil! Kids shouldn't be playing DDR and Wii Fit when they could be outside inhaling smog and forest fire smoke. Nothing says "I care about my kids" than playing out in the sun until we develop skin cancer!

Seriously though, I'm not against outdoors. Moderation in all things, including outdoor activity and indoor gaming. But when will people open their eyes to the mental and physical benefits of cybernatography?

My parents used to kick us out of the house after a short time playing games.

even in the dead of a winter storm i recall being sent outside to "do something constructive with my time". and i live in an area with NO parks, NO recreational facilities, just empty forests, cow fields, and corn.

as for the fat foods thing. When i stayed in japan for the Navy i ate fresh made and pre-packaged things alot, and i was fitter than i've ever been in my life. i came back to the U.S. feeling grand, then it wore off for some reason.

I think it has to do with the high "sodium" content in almost EVERYTHING in the U.S. My blood pressure is sky high (and the VA is riding my tail on this one... mostly since they have to pay me for it :) ), i'm unfit as a no legged dog with a bag of chow as his best friend, and even if i look into diets my only options in the U.S. is to either A. go vegitarian, which is unhealthy alone, or B. make each individual meal myself by hand. which isn't an option since i work construction and most often don't even get a lunch, then by dinner i'm tired enough to fall asleep for 4 hours before waking up with little enough time to relax let alone cook.

weekends are the only time i can afford a good diet and excercise and thats not enough.

japan, working military i had about as much time as i do here, and no cooking facilities in our barracks. I never went to the galley (the Navy's diet is either fat fried, or spider infested normally)  but eating easy to come by FRESH food, and not salted down salt with a hair of lettuce in it somewhere isn't so easy in the U.S.

even milk is loaded with salt, more than a bottle of pop for crying out loud.

reason for all the salt? the sterilization process most of the food goes through must weaken it nicely and make it rott faster or something, cause unless its bought fresh from the farmer or butchers shop, its damned near impossible to find something not loaded with preservatives (I.E. mostly salt)

apple juice is so fresh in japan, a guy in my command actually got a mouth full of APPLE in his can of juice! scared the hell outta him to as he spat that back out :p not to mention the juice itself was a frothy color as fresh made juice is, Orange juice was a clear orange, and so on. Not this darkened by added preserves/artificial flavors and constantly boiled over and over trash the U.S. has

The entire human race has been gradually moving indoors.  Children just don't play outside anymore.  Usually with these things, there's no one reason for the occurance.

It seems likely that it's happening just because humans prefer to be fat and happy; computers easily provide that.  But another reason is because we seem to be living in an age of fear and control; parents would rather keep an eye on their kids in the house than let them toddle off outdoors these days.  It's also likely that issues like global warming are pushing everyone indoors.  I don't know how much stock is in all the global warming conspiracy theories, but I know I used to play outside more when it wasn't scorching hot in the summer.

Well, thing is, you watch the News these days, and what do you see? Hurricanes, Floods, Tsunamis, Global Warming, Global Dimming, Droughts, Education system failing, Finances plummeting, Mass Murderers, Terrorists, Gangsters, Oh, and Timmy the Windsurfing Terrier.

Who'd want to go out in that? Especially the damn Terrier.

This is really getting ridiculous.  Whats there to learn outside that will help you in your everday life?  The world is becoming more and more dependent on technology and science.  Learning about computers could help a kid more these days than going outside and learning about all the different types of trees!  I remember my grandad telling me that back breaking labor will get you more money than sitting in front of a computer will. 

Then Bill Gates and Steve Jobs came along.  If these parents want their kids to go outside so bad, then they should take their games and tech and force to them to go outside instead of blaming video games.

They're right, though. If kids are spending more time inside, they're probably in front of something electronic while they're there. Gaming and playing outside are almost polar opposites, and if a kid is doing one then they're probably not doing the other. There are, of course, stupidly many reasons why someone might spend more time inside than someone else, but the statement is pretty valid and pretty innocent: Kids need some time outside.

Oh, and there is plenty to learn outside in addition to the wonderfulness of identifying trees from quite far away. You can learn the limits of your own body, how much it hurts when you go beyond those limits and end up faceplanting the concrete^*, and you learn more about acting in a group than Team Fortress 2 could ever teach.

Young people across America are spending more and more time inside... The vital unasked question here is, Why?

^* Anyone else think it's weird how so many kids have broken bones messing around on bikes, yet there are no parent groups trying to ban them?

For some odd reason, the first time I saw the headline, I thought it said No Child Left Behind was blaming videogames. Which would be funny.

 - Warren Lewis

Yesterday a my, a friend, and a cousin were praciticing basketball.  Some inner city kids(we live in a suburb) came and wanted to play against us.  After the match one of them took his bike.  my friend just told the guy not to take it.  He said he needed it and took it.  The friend looks on and doesn't do anything.  There were 4 of them and 3 of us and they had  the bigger guys so he didn't take a chance.

This is in East Lansing, and those kids are from the inner city.  I can see where some of the paranoia comes from.  Truth be told, it's not a simple problem of being overprotecive.  Parent's of younger kids would not want their kids hanging around with rotten apples like them.  But they still should find something fun for their kids to do outside in a decent setting. 

I hate people that are too stupid to realize that video games are not to blame when it comes to this stuff.  Parents need to be held responsible for the way they raise their kids.

We should take all the roofs off of schools and make them open air.

You learn more outside.

If you live in a crowded neighborhood, their aren't many ways you can explore. I couldn't play sports because my yard was to small and the balls would always fall in the my neighbors yard.

Besides, anyone who thinks video games are solely to blame for these problems is extremely foolish.

Speaking from my life, I feel I can single handedly shake this down, I've been using computers for 9 years, and playing video games for roughly 15 years, and I'm only 18, I'm not obese, I have a girlfriend, and I understand the world more than anyone I know, that paragraph couldn't be further from the truth, all they want is a sheep to play ploy while they make people believe in a silly program that feeds off governmental help and does nothing for anyone except its investors.

 This is getting kind of sad, in that both this site and the people who post on it , both of which are usually pretty intelligent by internet standards, go ''ZOMG they said a bad thing about vidja games there stupid.'' You guys act like it's a fucking religon, and you cannot allow to see it blasphemed against. Video games do contribute to obesity, this group isn;t calling for a ban on them, they just want kids to go ioutside more. Calm the fuck down.

While I don't think video games turn sane people into killers, I do agree that they play a large role in childhood obesity (other factors including poor diet also contribute of course).  Parents need to take responsibility for their children's well being, but there is no denying that a child is undisciplined, and many of them, given the choice, would sooner play Halo than sports.  We aren't talking about rational adults here.  We are talking about Cheetoh-eating-Naruto-watching-avoiding-physical-exertion-at-all-costs-anime-frothy-fanatic children, who possess all the discipline of, well, children.  "No Child Left Inside" was correct in pointing out video games' role in fatty kids.  They are right in trying to educate parents about this.  Children need adults to make choices for them, because left to their own devices, kids make the worst possible choices.  I also support censoring children from violent video games, while granting adults free access (free being defined as unrestricted, not free of monetary charge).  Generally speaking, children are far more impressionable than adults.  There are exceptions of course, but in general, adults are far better at separating fantasy from reality, than children are.  And to any minors who might be reading this:  you may think you know what's best for you, but you don't.  Experience gives adults a perspective you currently lack.  And we all thought we knew what was best when we were kids.

90%of those useless hippos are prolly fat, smoke, drink, speed, watch tv, and drone on and on about how YOU should live YOUR life..

Blaming videogames?

Why not blame mother nature for being a total bitch?

I'll not trust any mythological figure whose method of preparing us for the world was to try and kill as many of us as she can.

That, and insects eat me alive. Something about my scent attracts female mosquitos by the dozens. At least one bite for every thirty minutes I spend outside. I'm looking forward to Planet Parking-lot.