American Heart Association's Nintendo Endorsement Draws IMAP Criticism

The American Heart Association (AHA) has announced a controversial deal in which they will officially endorse Nintendo's Wii gaming system as "heart healthy."  In return, Nintendo will donate $1.5 million to the organization over the next three years.  This despite studies showing that the health benefits even from "active" gaming systems like the Wii pale in comparison to traditional physical exercise (including sports whose equipment manufacturers do not receive an AHA endorsement).

Speaking with Good Morning America, IMAP President David Rothman says that the deal is not in the interest of consumers. 

"The more logos appear on products that are only tangentially associated with health benefits, the more the public is going to wonder about the appearance of these logos," said Dr. Rothman.  "Soon rather than later, the public's going to understand that this is a commercial transaction."

The Institute on Medicine as a Profession has been studying the conflicts of interest that can arise when Professional Medical Associations accept corporate sponsorship. 

To watch the entire segment on Good Morning America, click here.