title: Behavioral science in video games for children's diet and physical activity change: key research needs.
abstract: Innovative intervention programs are needed to overcome the limitations in previous programs that promoted change in diabetes risk behaviors in children. Serious video games show promise of changing dietary and physical activity behaviors, but research is needed on the optimal design of behavior-change procedures in video games, the mechanisms that account for changes obtained, and the groups in which these interventions work best. Such research will permit the optimal design of serious video games for diabetes and obesity prevention in the future.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, 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
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012309:Risk-Taking; D018910:Video Games