The Impact of Online Quiz-games on Nutrition Knowledge and Related Outcomes Among University Students.
Condition: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Metabolic risk factors, such as central obesity, increase the risk of chronic diseases in
      adulthood and are prevalent in many university students. Increasing the knowledge about
      healthy nutrition and physical activity can positively impact students' lifestyle and prevent
      weight gain. This study aims to investigate the impact of online educational methods on
      nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, BMI, and physical activity in a sample of university
      students in the UK. Anthropometric measurements will be assessed and questionnaires will be
      completed at the beginning and at the end of the study. Written consent will be sought, the
      voluntary nature of participation will be emphasized while anonymity and confidentiality will
      be strictly maintained.
    

Detailed description: 
      The intervention is a randomized-controlled trial with two data collection points: one at the
      beginning and one at the end of the study. The study will include healthy students from two
      UK Universities, who they will be randomly assigned either to the intervention or to the
      control group. Participants in both groups will be asked to undertake measurements and
      complete questionnaires before and after the study. Measurements include the assessment of
      BMI, body fat, lean mass, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and blood
      glucose. In addition, nutrition knowledge and dietary habits will be estimated using online
      questionnaires as well as the level of physical activity using the IPAQ questionnaire and
      pedometers. Participants in the intervention group will receive access to an educational
      website including information about fruit and vegetables, fat, sugars, fast-food, meat, salt,
      meals and snacks, food labels, exercise, and alcohol. Each category will be linked to an
      online quiz-game that will include questions related to the topic. Students will be asked to
      play the games as much as they want to improve their knowledge scores. Access to the website
      and the games will be available for 10 weeks. Participants in the control group will receive
      no intervention. After 10 weeks, participants will be asked to undertake the same
      measurements and complete the same questionnaires as they did in the beginning of the study.
      The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an online educational intervention, using
      game elements, on the level of nutrition knowledge of students, as well as, whether any
      changes in knowledge impact changes in dietary habits, physical activity and weight-related
      factors.
    

Intervention name(s): Technology-based nutrition education
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): All participants will undertake anthropometric measurements and assessments of blood pressure and blood glucose. They will be also asked to complete online questionnaires with regards to nutrition and physical activity. Participants in the intervention group will receive additional access to a website, providing information about nutrition topics including alcohol and physical activity. Through the website participants will be asked to play online quiz-games related to the nutrition topics. Each play will include game elements such as time, point collection and graphics. Participants will be asked to play the games as much as they want to improve their scores and to use the website as a reference tool.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: University; College; University students; Health education; Educational techonology; Internet; Nutrition knowledge; Eating behaviour; Diet; Physical Activity; Weight gain prevention