Serious games as an educational strategy to control childhood obesity: a systematic literature review1.
Jéssica David Dias, Aline Natalia Domingues, Chris Mayara Tibes and 2 others
PMID 30183872WHAT IT FOUND
Serious games showed mixed effects in six trials: some increased fruit and vegetable intake or knowledge, others did not.
Nurses and therapists may find them useful for engagement, but evidence is too limited to confirm they reliably improve health outcomes.
Key findings
01The review included only six randomized clinical trials, which the authors state is insufficient to determine the efficacy of serious games for childhood obesity.
02In one trial, children playing a serious game increased fruit and vegetable intake by approximately 0.67 portions a day, but water intake, physical activity, and body composition did not change.
03Another trial found that children who played a serious game increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables by more than 1% compared to controls.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only six randomized clinical trials were identified, which the authors state is insufficient to determine efficacy. The interventions varied widely in duration, content, and delivery method, making it difficult to compare results. Outcome measures were heterogeneous, with some studies reporting knowledge, others behavior, and others physical changes. The review did not include non-randomized studies, which may have provided additional context on real-world usage.
Declared interests
The paper does not report any funding sources or conflicts of interest for the authors of this review.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that serious games are an effective treatment for childhood obesity. The review found mixed results across only six trials, and the authors explicitly state that the evidence is insufficient to determine efficacy. Some games improved knowledge or specific dietary habits, but not all, and physical outcomes like weight loss were inconsistent.