An Educational Video Game for Nutrition of Young People

Tracey Ledoux, Melissa Griffith, Debbe Thompson, Nga Nguyen, Kathy Watson, Janice Baranowski, Richard Buday, Dina Abdelsamad and Tom Baranowski

Simulation & Gaming, 2016, vol. 47, issue 4, 490-516

Abstract: Background. Playing Escape from Diab (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO), epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance . 95-100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition. Aim. This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games . A second purpose is to explore the experience of children while playing the games. Method. The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition , PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games. Results. Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging . Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach. Conclusions. Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes .

Keywords: behavioral nutrition; challenge; debriefing; design; diet; energy balance; experience; game design; health; healthy behavior; intervention design; knowledge; mastery learning; mini-game; obesity; physical activity; social cognitive theory; Type II diabetes; video game (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:simgam:v:47:y:2016:i:4:p:490-516

DOI: 10.1177/1046878116633331

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