Using Virtual Reality to Stimulate Healthy and Environmentally Friendly Food Consumption among Children: An Interview Study

Eline Suzanne Smit, Marijn Hendrika Catharina Meijers and Laura Nynke van der Laan
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Eline Suzanne Smit: Department of Communication Science, Amsterdam School of Communication Research/ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15791, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marijn Hendrika Catharina Meijers: Department of Communication Science, Amsterdam School of Communication Research/ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15791, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Laura Nynke van der Laan: Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Since habits formed during childhood are predictive of adult behaviour, children form an important target group when it comes to improving healthy and environmentally friendly food consumption. To explore the potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) in this respect, we conducted a semi-structured interview study ( N = 22) among children aged 6–13 years. This study consisted of two parts: (1) a VR experience and (2) a semi-structured interview to investigate (1) to what extent children are able to recall and understand information about the impact of food products on their health and the environment when provided to them as pop-ups in a VR supermarket; (2) what rational and emotional processes are triggered by this information; and (3) what children’s expectations about the real-life application and impact of the pop-ups are, and why. Interview data were analysed using the framework method. Results showed that although all participants were able to recall the information, only children from an average age of ten years old also understood the information. When participants understood the information, they were often aware of and felt sorry for their negative behavioural impact. Most participants expected their behaviour to positively change when imagining real-life application of the pop-ups.

Keywords: virtual reality; health; sustainability; food consumption; qualitative; interviews; children; environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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