Design and Evaluation of a Computer Game to Promote a Healthy Diet for Young Adults

Abstract

This article reports the development and evaluation of a computer game (RightWay Café) as a special medium to promote a healthy diet for young adults. Structural features of computer games, such as interactive tailoring, role playing, the element of fun, and narrative, were operationalized in the RightWay Café game to afford behavior rehearsal in a safe and entertaining way. Theories such as the health belief model, social cognitive theory, and theory of reasoned action guided the content design of the game to influence mediators of behavior change, including self-efficacy, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and behavior change intention. A randomized controlled evaluation study with pretest, posttest, and follow-up design demonstrated that this game was effective in teaching nutrition and weight management knowledge and increasing people's self-efficacy and perceived benefits of healthy eating, as well as their intention to be on a healthy diet. Limited long-term effects were also found: participants in the game-playing group had greater self-efficacy than participants in the control group after 1 month. This study validates the computer game–based approach to health promotion for young adults. Limitations and implications are also discussed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by Annenberg Foundation Critical Communications Critical Pathways Dissertation Fellowship. The author gratefully acknowledges comments and suggestions made by Margaret McLaughlin, Associate Editor Michael Stephenson, Editor Teresa Thompson, and the anonymous reviewers.

Notes

¹Normally, to investigate long-term effects, the interval between the posttest and the follow-up should be more than a month. A 1-month interval was chosen for this study because the investigator would not have access to the participants 2 months after the intervention.

²Intention to eat a healthy diet was assessed only at posttest due to data loss that resulted from a technical problem associated with the online survey engine.