Doctors say buy bats not games

Leave the interactive computer games out of the Christmas stocking and buy a cricket bat instead, Australian doctors are urging parents.

The Australian Medical Association has slammed whiz-bang computer games that promise to tackle childhood obesity as a fad and marketing gone mad.

The "gamercise" products, which include step machines and stationary bikes that can be hooked up to Playstations and other game consoles, force children to exercise if they want to play.

But association president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal said they were more likely to reinforce exercise-unfriendly behaviour such as sitting around in front of the TV.

- AGENCIES