Researchers to examine video games and health

More wasted effort.

"Why fight the proliferation of video games if you can use them to improve the nation's health?"

Because you can't, that's why.

And here is a sampling of the madness:

"The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced Thursday it will give a dozen research teams up to $200,000 each for studies lasting one to two years.

The projects will measure the effects of playing video games on the young and old. For example:

_Researchers at Cornell University will study how a mobile phone game rewarding healthy eating and exercise will influence children's behavior.

_Researchers at the University of Florida will monitor how playing Playstation 2's 'Crazy Taxi' affects perception in the elderly.

_Researchers at the University of South Carolina will investigate the potential for using video games such as Wii and EyeToy to help people recover their motor skills after experiencing a stroke."

I am taking bets on this stupid approach, too.