title: An educational video game for nutrition of young people: Theory and design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  PlayingEscape from DIAB(DIAB) andNanoswarm(NANO),epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance. 95-100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games. A secondary purpose was to explore the experience of children while playing the games.
  
  
  METHODS
  The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition, PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging. Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ledoux
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Debbe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Nga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.affiliation: Archimage, Inc., Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buday
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abdelsamad
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baranowski
keywords: Type II Diabetes; behavioral nutrition; challenge; debriefing; design; diet; energy balance; experience; game design; health; healthy behavior; intervention design; knowledge; mastery learning; mini-game; obesity; physical activity; social cognitive theory; video game