Parents need to know that My Weight Loss Coach isn't a video game, but rather an advice application that motivates you to live a healthier lifestyle. It comes with a pedometer that connects to the DS so that the application can keep track of your daily steps. For weight loss, the program stresses small, sustainable steps like drinking more water and eating more fruit. One potential downside is that the game measures a player's fitness level using Body Mass Index (BMI), a standard used by the National Institute of Health to measure an adult's body fat based on height and weight. Parents with kids concerned about their weight should know that the BMI is an index for adults and since kids grow at different rates, their pediatrician will always be a better judge of what's healthy. If the game deems that a player's BMI is too high, it will urge them to lose weight, stating that people with BMIs in a certain range are less likely to suffer from illness.

Families can talk about how to make changes in your lifestyle so that you can become healthier. Can you think up your own healthy activities and fitness challenges to incorporate into your daily routine? How can you encourage other family members to get healthier? Could you all take a walk together so that everyone reaches 10,000 steps per day? How about keeping a chart on the refrigerator showing the families progress?