HOUSTON -- To draw in students who may not be interested in traditional exercise classes, the University of Houston is offering a new Wii Performance class for the fall semester in its department of health and human performance.

"We thought this was a good way to reach those students who might not take a weight-training class or a soccer class, but would play an active game like a Wii Fit or Wii Sports," Ben Hoffman, instructor for the new Wii Performance class, said in a statement. "These students still will learn about nutrition and health and fitness that will help them out in the long run."

Several of the Wii games will be used in the class, such as Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Dance Dance Revolution. The games will be used to illustrate posture, center of balance and to improve knowledge of health and fitness. Students will receive one credit hour for the class. Each class will accommodate 20 students.

In addition, students will learn about maintaining healthy body weight through nutrition and will be quizzed on health and nutrition information. Class assignments will include tracking the calories consumed as well as physical activities.

"Our department conducts a host of research into the epidemic of obesity, not only its root causes, but ways to combat it and the diseases related to it," Jessica Wheeler, program coordinator, said in a statement. "Using the Wii games can be both fun and an effective tool. We anticipate that many students will want to take this class."

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