AHA is now endorsing a video-game, for 1.5 million dollars. Â Shocking.
On this nonsense one has to write fast. Â Dr Wes is in. CardioBrief is in. Even GMA whacked the AHA.
It took 900 words for the AHA to explain their position. Hint: in medicine, long notes usually imply a shaky thesis. A central argument in their position is that Americans are so sedentary, even some jostling around on a proprietary video game is better than the couch.
Then, an AHA’s doctor said the AHA logo is not for sale, but yet Nintendo antes up 1.5 million. Hmm?
We have a Wii fit. Â It’s fun, and sometimes you might sweat a bit. Â But shouldn’t the AHA know that what works for heart health is a sustainable “program,” for life. Â Shouldn’t they aggressively endorse things like bike lanes, PE everyday in school, a nationwide trans-fats ban and common sense.
As a cardiologist, bike racer, former cross-country coach and advocate for healthy living, I almost wordless in my dismay at the AHA’s failure to master the obvious.
We bloggers try. Â Really we do try to keep cynicism at bay. Stories such as these make this task a challenge.
Frown.
JMM