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Enhancing Nutrition Learning Using Interactive Tools

Abstract:

Nowadays, obesity is a serious health problem worldwide. Its occurrence has exponentially increased in both children and adults, especially in developing countries. Since overweight and obese children are more likely to be overweight or obese adults, it is important to control and prevent childhood obesity. Moreover, overweight and obesity can put children at higher risk for various health problems. Recently, several information and communication technology tools have been designed to promote good health habits, physical activity, nutrition education, and weight loss. Most of these tools, however, target at an adult audience and fail to capture the attention of children. To address this gap, we present two child-friendly prototypes as nutrition education tools for preventing obesity. The prototypes rely on computational techniques such as augmented reality and serious games to provide children a more user-friendly experience. We also present the designs and evaluation of the prototypes and provide key guidelines for developers.