Effects of the Rango Cards game intervention on food consumption, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices of high school students: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to assess the impact of a game-based nutritional intervention on food consumption, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices.


DESIGN
This cluster randomised controlled trial included both male and female high school students from private schools in the Federal District, Brazil. Four schools were randomly selected for each group. Investigated variables were age, sex, monthly family income, maternal education level, dietary perceptions and practices, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices.


SETTING
Intervention group participants were instructed to play Rango Cards, a digital game developed for the study, on their own, for a period of 7-17 d, while the control group was not provided with any game or material during the study.


PARTICIPANTS
The study included 319 adolescents (mean age = 15·8 (sd 0·7) years).


RESULTS
Significant reductions were observed in the intervention group compared with the control group for the following variables: habit of eating while watching TV or studying and having meals at fast food restaurants. The intervention group showed increased knowledge of the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption as well as improved self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices such as reducing Na intake and preparing healthy meals.


CONCLUSIONS
The design of Rango Cards is potentially capable of effecting positive changes. Therefore, the digital game promotes autonomy and self-care among adolescents with regard to healthy eating.
['Chagas|Carolina Martins Dos Santos|CMDS|', 'Melo|Giselle Rhai-Sa|GR|', 'Botelho|Raquel Braz Assunção|RBA|', 'Toral|Natacha|N|']
D000293:Adolescent D001938:Brazil D000072001:Diet, Healthy D005247:Feeding Behavior D005260:Female D005638:Fruit D000068957:Games, Recreational D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006293:Health Promotion D006801:Humans D008297:Male D012574:Schools D020377:Self Efficacy D013334:Students D014675:Vegetables
Nutritional intervention Adolescent Health Video games