The positive impact of gamification in imparting nutritional knowledge and combating childhood obesity: A systematic review on the recent solutions

Abstract

Objective This paper reviews the recent gamified interventions that focus on the dietary factor to explore the effectiveness of using gaming elements in combating the prevalence of childhood obesity. Methods Two electronic databases were searched (PubMed and ProQuest); to identify the relevant papers published between 2018 and 2021. The keywords that use to search the entire selected databases were gamification and obesity. There were no restrictions regarding the language. Two independent reviewers screened the titles, abstracts, and keywords for relevance. Results 407 papers were identified initially, while only 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included articles indicated the positive impact of gamification on changing children eating behaviors. This systematic review summarizes the theories followed in developing such interventions and suggests some other theories to use and follow. Moreover, we synthesized the main findings into six recommendations that would assist in combating the global concern regarding childhood obesity if IS/IT researchers and other implement them during the development of any IT intervention. Conclusions Using gamification and gaming elements in imparting nutritional knowledge to children and improving their eating habits and behaviors is considered effective generally. It provides them with the needed knowledge and promotes the acquisition of better habits within enjoyable environment.

Gamification preferences in nutrition apps: Toward healthier diets and food choices

“… 9 – 11 Previous research on employing gamification elements (GEs) to support healthy eating has shown promising outcomes. 12 – 16 Notably, GEs like collecting points or completing levels in nonentertainment contexts have proven effective in fostering lasting behavioral changes. 17 , 18 For example, features such as points, levels, and leaderboards make users’ efforts in adopting healthier diets visible, offering supportive feedback and enhancing the overall experience of healthy eating, thus facilitating weight loss.…”

Practical Approach to Designing and Implementing a Recommendation System for Healthy Challenges

“…Conversely, the findings from these two systematic reviews [38,39] suggest that no significant differences exist between outcomes derived from apps featuring gamification elements and those lacking them. In the realm of healthy eating, the systematic review conducted by Alghamdi et al [40] highlights that the utilization of gamification elements effectively facilitates imparting nutritional knowledge and combating children obesity. Finally, regarding sleep habits, the utilization of gamification techniques such as goal-based gamification, continuous feedback, and social support has shown promise in positively influencing individuals' sleep patterns, as stated in [41,42].…”