Nintendo gadgets ‘encourage healthy living’

Technological gadgets such as the Wii Fit and My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight on the Nintendo DS can help people to get fit, one expert has claimed.

According to Dr Christian Jessen, presenter of Supersize vs Superskinny, the devices can be useful for motivating people to exercise.

He said: "If there’s a way that technology can pile all that information to you and motivate you - and it doesn’t mean paying for a dietician and a coach - fantastic, I’m all for it."

The DS programme is particularly useful as it sets people "little achievable targets" such as only taking the stairs all day or walking 2,000 paces, he added.

It will also help people plan their meals to make sure that they are eating healthily, Dr Jessen stated.

Last week, sprinter Darren Campbell told the Times that while the Wii Fit is fun and can encourage people to exercise, it should not be seen as an alternative to the gym.