Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Oct 28, 2022
Date Accepted: Aug 31, 2023
Translating and Testing a Digital Game Promoting Vegetable Consumption in Young Children: Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Promoting healthy eating in children is key to prevent chronic diseases and vegetable consumption is especially a cause of concern. Among the tested interventions, gamification is promising to promote familiarization, increase knowledge and possibly vegetable intake.
Objective:
We aimed to assess the acceptability and applicability of the French-translated “Veggies4myHeart” digital game, and its influence on children’s preferences and willingness to taste vegetables when associated with repeated tasting and education.
Methods:
The digital game composed of five mini-games on vegetables (lettuce, carrot, red cabbage, cucumber and tomato) was translated into French. During five consecutive weekly sessions, children from two elementary classes played the game for 10 to 15 minutes in pairs. In addition, in each session, they discussed one of the vegetables and tasted the five vegetables. Before and after food preferences and willingness to taste the vegetables were compared. Teachers participated in a semi-structured interview.
Results:
Forty-five children aged 5 to 6 tested the French-version of the digital game that appeared enjoyable, well accepted and easy to implement. Children’s declared food preferences were already high for carrot, cucumber and tomato, with scores greater than 4 on 5. The scores did not change significantly after the intervention, except for red cabbage (pre-test 2.52± 1.49 versus post-test 3.29 ± 1.67 (p = 0.006). Before the intervention, 44%, 73%, 39%, 71% and 63% of children were willing to taste lettuce, carrot, red cabbage, cucumber and tomato respectively. After the intervention, those proportions were 51%, 80%, 53%, 73% and 64% respectively, with no significant statistical difference. Teachers supported this tool associated with repeated tasting and education and highlighted facilitators and barriers that should be anticipated to improve implementation.
Conclusions:
The study revealed that translating an existing digital game was feasible and acceptable both for children and teachers.
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