The Hoverboard360 Smart Balance Board is now on "sale" for only $399 instead of the previous price of $649, according to one of the many sponsored ads littered through my Facebook feed. Their motto is "The future is here," which, in my opinion, translates to, "Your future of obesity is here." I understand that this technological advancement is revolutionizing travel, but what does this really say about the nation as a whole?

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 34.9 percent of U.S. adults (78.6 million) are obese. The Walking Site states that a sedentary, or desk-bound, person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps per day. It only takes just over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, as the average person's stride length is about 2.5 feet long. If you're even slightly active, you're likely to walk approximately 10,000 steps a day, which is close to 5 miles. Walking several miles a day is an easy task to complete. Simply by walking every day, Better Health states a person will receive many health benefits, such as:

• Increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
• Stronger bones and improved balance
• Increased muscle strength and endurance
• Reduced body fat

Walking is a generally low-impact exercise that can be done at your own personal pace and requires little to no equipment. However, a hoverboard is quite a pricey investment that in turn takes away those health benefits if used as your main source of transportation.

Seeing students around campus using these toys as modes of transportation shows me that as a society, the obesity rates are only going to rise. The "freshman 15" has already been deemed as nearly inevitable. When my parents went to school it was labeled as the freshman ten. At this rate, when my children go to school, is it going to be called the "freshman 20"?

I believe that these hoverboards are quite an exciting invention, as they show how technology is advancing and how our culture is technologically growing as a whole. I'm also aware that by producing this article, all of those that read it are bound to look up these hoverboards, if you have not already been informed about them via social media or by seeing them on the street. While I am not completely dissing the business itself, I believe these new modes of entertainment should be used in moderation and for amusement, not as a main source of transportation.