The Effects of a Computer Game (healthy Rat King) on Preschool Children's Nutritional Knowledge and Junk Food Intake Behavior: Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Playing computer-aided games could enhance children’s interest in learning about nutritional knowledge and eventually promote healthy dietary intake behavior. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer game (Healthy Rat King) in improving the knowledge on nutrition and junk food intake among preschool children in Taiwan. METHODS This was a quasi-experimental study that utilized the computer game Healthy Rat King as the nutrition education tool. We recruited 104 preschool children (aged 5-6 years) from preschools in central Taiwan, who were assigned to either the experimental group (n=56) or the control group (n=48). In the experimental group, a 1-hour computer-based educational game intervention was included in the course for 4 consecutive weeks. The control group did not receive this intervention. RESULTS The level of nutritional knowledge for children in the experimental group was significantly higher than those in the control group after 4 weeks (P=.002). Furthermore, the frequency of consumption of chocolate, candies, and ice cream (high-calorie junk food) was reduced in the experimental group. There was also no significant difference in the consumption of candy and chocolate (P=.54), ice cream and ice pops (P=.21), cake (P=.92), biscuit (P=.98), soft drinks (P=.52), and fruit juice and sugary drinks (P=.31) between the 2 groups in the posttest. CONCLUSIONS Teaching using a computer game could improve children’s nutritional knowledge. However, the intake frequency of junk food among children in the experimental group showed no significant difference from those in the control group.