The effectiveness of the Foodbot Factory serious game on increasing nutrition knowledge in children

Abstract

Background: The interactive nature of serious games (i.e., video games designed for educational purposes) enable deeper learning and facilitate behavior change; however, there is limited data on their impact on child nutrition knowledge. The objective of this study was to determine if Foodbot Factory effectively improves children’s knowledge of 2019 Canada’s Food Guide. Methods: Study was a single-blinded, parallel randomized controlled trial conducted among children ages 8-10 years attending Ontario Tech University summer day camps. Results: Compared to the control group (n=34), children who used Foodbot Factory (n=39) had significant increases in overall nutrition knowledge (10.3 ± 2.9 to 13.5 ± 3.8 versus 10.2 ± 3.1 to 10.4 ± 3.2, p<0.001), and in Vegetables and Fruits (p<0.001), Protein Foods (p<0.001), and Whole Grain Food (p=0.040) sub-scores. No significant difference in knowledge was observed in Drinks sub-score. Conclusion: Foodbot Factory is an effective educational tool to support children learning about nutrition.