title: Video game play, child diet, and physical activity behavior change a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Video games designed to promote behavior change are a promising venue to enable children to learn healthier behaviors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate outcome from playing "Escape from Diab" (Diab) and "Nanoswarm: Invasion from Inner Space" (Nano) video games on children's diet, physical activity, and adiposity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-group RCT; assessments occurred at baseline, immediately after Diab, immediately after Nano, and 2 months later. Data were collected in 2008-2009, and analyses were conducted in 2009-2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  133 children aged 10-12 years, initially between 50th percentile and 95th percentile BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment group played Diab and Nano in sequence. Control Group played diet and physical activity knowledge-based games on popular websites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Servings of fruit, vegetable, and water; minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. At each point of assessment: 3 nonconsecutive days of 24-hour dietary recalls; 5 consecutive days of physical activity using accelerometers; and assessment of height, weight, waist circumference, and triceps skinfold.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A repeated measures ANCOVA was conducted (analyzed in 2009-2010). Children playing these video games increased fruit and vegetable consumption by about 0.67 servings per day (p<0.018) but not water and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, or body composition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Playing Diab and Nano resulted in an increase in fruit and vegetable intake. Research is needed on the optimal design of video game components to maximize change.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030-2600, USA. tbaranow@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.forename: Debbe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buday
authors.forename: Russ
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jago
authors.forename: Melissa Juliano
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Noemi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Nga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014675:Vegetables; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*