Obesity studies have abound nowadays - there was one study that said obesity is in the genes and Konami has recently revealed Dance Dance Revolution's health results and months back, there were some British scientists who claimed to have invented a anti-obesity chewing gum. But now, a study conducted by researchers from London's Imperial College have found out that there might be a lot of thin people who may be fat inside. See, it really is what's on the inside that counts.

Apparently, some doctors now thing that the internal fat surrounding vital organs like our heart, liver, and pancreas may be as dangerous than its more obvious counterparts. According to the researchers, people who maintain their weight through diet rather than exercising are likely to have major deposits of internal fat even if they have a slim physique.

Dr. Jimmy Bell added that "being thin doesn't automatically mean you're not fat...The whole concept of being fat needs to be redefined". This study was funded by the Britain's Medical Research Council and since 1994, the researchers have scanned 800 people with MRI machines to create "fat maps".

So this means that thin people who are fat inside are also more prone to sicknesses like diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease. And if you think that having normal Body Mass Index scores ought to do the trick, well think again. Dr. Bell mentioned that 45% of their study's women-participants with normal BMI scores have excessive levels of internal fat.

So if you're thinking of paying a visit to your friendly-neighborhood plastic surgeon to suck the internal fat away, step away from the door for now. The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned-off through exercise and diet-improvement.

 

News that Konami's Dance Dance Revolution burns calories and is healthy for you aren't new. You don't really need scientific studies to support the obvious, especially given all the sweaty DDR players one can run into on a trip to the arcade. What's news though is that schools have now incorporated the tub-thumping game into their P.E. classes.

You know what? The kids love it.

The New York Times reports that at least several hundred schools in at least 10 states are now using Dance Dance Revolution as a regular part of their physical education curriculum. It is reported that based on plans, more than 1,500 schools are expected to be using the game by the end of this decade.

The system, including the TV and the game console, only costs each school around US$ 500, but most schools spend up to US$ 800 for more robust mats.

Linda M. Carson, a professor at West Virginia University's School of Physical Education, and director of West Virginia's Motor Development Center passed by an arcade. "There were all these kids dancing and sweating and actually standing in line and paying money to be physically active. And they were drinking water, not soda. It was a physical educator’s dream."

What's nice about this is that unlike other things asked of you during P.E., you don't have to be good in DDR to get a work out.

The crisis of today's kids facing obesity is a daily issue some of us have to contend with. As you're reading this, maybe your own kid or sibling is down in the living room, with butt firmly glued to the sofa, and staring right at the TV set. We don't need Captain Obvious to tell us that kids these days (that includes kids of all ages, 1 to 92) need exercise in their lives.

With this, the exergaming project was launched. The results of the 24-week gaming-exercise project have finally been revealed by Konami. Surprise of all surprises, you do lose weight with exercise-friendly games, more specifically something like Dance Dance Revolution.

Test subjects in the project were required to play DDR for at least 30 minutes each day, five times a week. The factors that West Virginia University (the guys administering the tests) monitored weight, blood pressure, body mass index, arterial function, fitness levels and attitudes towards exercise among the kids.

Results? The found out that the DDR workout had improved their general health and reduced risks for lifestyle-related diseases. They now have evidence that, if kept consistent, playing the game improves arterial function and blood flow among the overweight children. Not that all the test subjects they had lost weight, however, what's important is that none of them gained any.

What's interesting here, though, is what some would call the "non-quantifiable" results (data that can't be measured in numbers and figures). They've observed that, after the testing period, some of the participants which have felt awkward about exercising before now actually have confidence in continuing their battle against obesity. They've exhibited a new desire to maintain their health regiment.

"No pain, no gain," or so they say. Get the dance mat out, and time to bust a groove!