Effectiveness of Healthy Foodie Nutrition Game Application as Reinforcement Intervention to Previous Standard Nutrition Education of School-Aged Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Florence Rochelle Gan; Elaine Cunanan; Rebecca Castro

doi:10.15605/jafes.034.02.04

Authors

Florence Rochelle Gan University of Santo Tomas Hospital http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5256-8018
Elaine Cunanan University of Santo Tomas Hospital http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4049-7918
Rebecca Castro University of Santo Tomas Hospital http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7114-7067

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15605/jafes.034.02.04

Keywords:

nutrition, health education, video games, nutrition questionnaire

Abstract

Objective. Games promoting nutrition education are helpful tools to improve nutrition knowledge. Healthy Foodie is an interactive web-based nutrition game for Filipino children. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Healthy Foodie on the nutrition knowledge of children aged 7 to 10 years old.

Methodology. This study had 2 phases. In Phase 1, we developed and validated the Healthy Foodie nutrition game application and Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire involving 46 participants. The Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire was divided into 2 15-item questionnaires: Part 1 pertained to Food Group Knowledge and Part 2 on Food Frequency Knowledge. Phase 2 was the implementation of the game and questionnaire. This was a randomized controlled trial conducted in two elementary schools in Manila, involving 360 participants divided equally into control and experimental groups.

Results.For Phase 1, internal consistency of the questionnaire using the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 was 0.75 for part 1 and 0.70 for Part 2. In Phase 2, comparing the adjusted posttest mean Food Group Knowledge scores, there was statistically higher score (F=111.84, p=0.0001) in the experimental group (11.57±0.20) compared to the control (8.51±0.20). In the adjusted posttest mean Food Frequency Knowledge scores, there was a statistically higher score (F=56.12, p=0.0001) in the experimental group (10.70±0.15) compared to the control (9.07±0.15).

Conclusion. nutrition game-based intervention such as Healthy Foodie is effective as a reinforcement intervention to previous standard nutrition education of school-aged children.

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Author Biographies

Florence Rochelle Gan, University of Santo Tomas Hospital

Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine

Elaine Cunanan, University of Santo Tomas Hospital

Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine

Rebecca Castro, University of Santo Tomas Hospital

Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine

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