Anyone who does proper exercise could have pointed this out, but it's always nice to have it in writing; the American Council on Exercise have claimed that Nintendo's Wii Fit produces "underwhelming results".

The group has released a report on the super-popular home fitness program, drawing on research performed by the University of Wisconsin. And this report has found that even Wii Fit's most physically taxing workouts can't hold a candle to actual exercise.

Wii Fit's boxing, for example, burns only 1/3 the calories of actual boxing, while the other four most intensive modes - Free Island Run, Super Hula Hoop, Advanced Step, and Free Step - only burned between 100 and 160 calories every 30 minutes of exercise. Considering a cheeseburger has around 300 calories, you'll be on Wii Fit all day if you want to really burn some fat.

Perhaps most damning/hilarious, however, is the report's finding that while Wii Fit burns more calories than a regular game - where you're doing nothing - it's not as good for you as a session on Nintendo's own Wii Sports.

Ah, the power of marketing.

American Council on Exercise Charts 'Underwhelming' Wii Fit Health Benefits [Gamasutra]

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