Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Sep 11, 2019
Date Accepted: Apr 23, 2020
Serious Games for Nutritional Education: Online Survey on Preferences, Motives, Needs, and Behaviors among Young Adults at University
ABSTRACT
Background:
Data on how young German adults are informed about nutrition is limited. Moreover, little is known about their preferences, motives, and behaviors regarding digital games.
Objective:
The present survey aimed to gather data about nutritional information strategies and digital gameplay patterns among young adults.
Methods:
An online survey was developed by an interdisciplinary research group using EvaSys, an in-house university software tool. The questionnaire (47-items) covered questions about socio-demography (e.g., housing situation) and anthropometry (e.g., weight), nutrition (e.g., nutritional information sources), and digital (nutritional) gameplay (e.g., preferences). Finally, a feedback and comment box was also provided. The present publication focus on a selection of 18 questions. Young adults, primarily students of both Munich universities, were invited to participate by e.g. newsletter, social media, e-mail in 2016 and 2017. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2013 (Redmond, WA, US).
Results:
In total, 468 young adults (342 women; 73.1%) participated. The majority of the participants (57.5%) had an age between 18 and 24 years and a body mass index (BMI) in the normal weight range (77.4%). The mean body weight was 65.5 kg ± 14.0 kg. Most participants reported to acquire digital nutritional information from the internet (79.7%; 372/467), while printed media (63.8%; 298/467) were the main non-digital nutritional information sources. More than one-half (62.6%; 293/468) of participants played digital games, while one-fifth (21.3%; 97/456) played digital games on a daily basis using smartphones or tablets. Finally, most respondents (73.3%; 343/468) expressed interest in obtaining nutritional information during digital gameplay.
Conclusions:
The present survey provides insights into nutritional information sources and digital gameplay among young German adults. Young adults play digital games, primarily on a daily basis, and are interested in obtaining nutritional information during digital gameplay. A digital nutritional game might have the potential to be an educational tool for young adults.
Citation
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