JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Improving children’s food literacy through school-based interventions can support developing healthy eating habits. Serious games, which are games designed for a purpose other than entertainment, have been demonstrated to improve children’s food literacy and dietary intake. Further evidence is needed to understand how serious games can be researched within in schools to support nutrition education.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of study processes, resources and management and conduct a preliminary assessment of scientific outcomes for implementing the serious game, curriculum-based nutrition education intervention, Foodbot Factory, in classrooms as part of research protocol.

Methods:

A non-randomized study determined the feasibility of intervention implementation. Grade 4 and 4/5 classrooms were assigned to have nutrition education lessons for five days with either the Foodbot Factory or a control intervention. Outcomes were assessed in four feasibility domains of study processes (e.g., recruitment and attrition rates), resources (e.g., time taken to deliver the intervention) and management (e.g., challenges with intervention delivery), and a preliminary assessment of scientific outcomes pertaining to the acceptability and impacts of the interventions. These outcomes were captured in semi-structured field notes completed by study staff and questionnaires completed by participants. Data were analyzed descriptively and using a paired t-test.

Results:

Four classrooms participated in the feasibility study, with varying recruitment rates for schools (15%), classrooms (100%), parents (53%) and children (91%). The time required to implement the protocol was sufficient and management of the study was overall successful. Some challenges were experienced with classroom management and electronic data collection. After the intervention, children reported a positive affective experience (63%) and learning something new about healthy eating (76%).

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that the study protocol is feasible to implement to evaluate Foodbot Factory in a representative sample with select modifications.