Exploring Nutrition and Energy Balance-Related Behavior: A Game for Youth

 描述(由申请者提供)：这个项目的目标是开发一个独特的、引人入胜的教育游戏，促进与能量平衡相关的行为(EBRB)的行为改变。这款游戏通过严肃游戏的平台，面向参加另类学习(AL)计划的高中生。虽然已经为年龄较小的学生开发并成功实施了促进关于一般营养的积极行为的严肃游戏，但还没有发现专门针对AL环境中的年龄较大的青少年的例子。几乎没有基于证据的战略或课程来解决这一群体的EBRB问题。由于在青春期建立的EBRB有可能持续到成年并影响体重和健康，青春期提供了一个重要的窗口，在此期间积极地解决和改变这些行为。这个游戏独特的形成青年声音的方法增加了游戏的可能性，使学习变得非常吸引人，并与参与者生活、玩耍、学习和工作的环境(社会、环境、文化)相关。此外，参与和激励 这款游戏的开发和试运行为AL年轻人提供了一个重要的领导机会，这可能会激发人们对与研究、严肃游戏或健康促进相关的职业的兴趣。最后，这款游戏有很大的潜力被AL环境中的补充营养援助计划-教育(SNAP-ED)编程使用和集成，通过它可以实施多层次的方法(系统、环境、政策)来支持和加强积极的行为目标。在青春期，高质量的饮食确保摄入足够的能量和营养，对于优化身体生长发育和预防与饮食相关的慢性疾病至关重要，这些疾病在成年后表现为心脏病、癌症和骨质疏松症。青春期生活方式的改变和对食物选择更大自主权的驱使会对饮食行为和模式产生负面影响。参加AL项目的高中生比参加普通高中的学生更有可能进行不良饮食和久坐不动的生活实践。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop a unique and engaging educational game that promotes behavioral modification regarding energy balance-related behaviors (EBRB). The game targets high school aged students attending Alternative Learning (AL) programs through the platform of a serious game. While serious games promoting positive behaviors regarding general nutrition have been developed and successfully implemented for younger students, no examples have been found specifically targeting older teens in AL settings. Few, if any, evidence-based strategies or curricula exist to address EBRB for this population. Because EBRB established in adolescence have a likelihood of continuing into adulthood and impacting weight and health, adolescence provides an important window during which to positively address and modify these kinds of behaviors. The unique formative youth-voice approach to development of this game increases the likelihood of game play that makes learning highly engaging and relevant to the context (social, environmental, cultural) in which the participants live, play, learn and work. Further, participation in and incentives for the development and piloting of this game provides AL youth with an important leadership opportunity which may spark interest in careers related to research, serious gaming or health promotion. Finally, this game has great potential for use by and integration with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) programming in AL settings, through which multilevel approaches (system, environmental, policy) can be implemented to support and reinforce positive behavioral goals. During adolescence, a high quality diet ensuring adequate intake of energy and nutrients is critical to optimize physical growth and development and prevent diet-related chronic diseases that manifest in adulthood including heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Lifestyle changes and the drive for greater autonomy in food choice during adolescence can negatively impact eating behaviors and patterns. High school students attending an AL programs are more likely to engage in poor eating and sedentary living practices than students attending a regular high school.