Electronics Hurting Kids' Health

In response to "The Key to Fighting Childhood Obesity - A Media Diet?"
http://www.edutopia.org/groups/parents/60874

Being an elementary school teacher, I see the toll that sitting indoors playing electronic games put on our youth.  Often times when my students come back from the weekend I will ask kids to share with the class some of the fun things they did.  Most of the responses that I get have to do with students playing a new video game or electronic toy.

When I was in elementary school I had all of the newest video and computer games that any kid could ask for, but I hardly ever touched them unless it was storming outside and my friends were all at my house.  Video games were a last resort for my friends and I because we would have much rather been playing any sort of sport or game outside somewhere in the neighborhood.  Today many kids play video games and watch TV for countless hours per day and get hardly any exercise.  Wii Fit is not a good excuse for exercise...

With the demands of high stakes testing students are also getting a lack of recess at school each day.  My 4th graders got to go outside for one hour every three weeks for recess.  With the lack of recess and outdoor time at school and video games and TV at home each night, I do feel that electronics are hurting the health of our youth.