by Marion Nestle
Oct 12 2007

Teaching kids about eating well: video game

I’ve just been sent this article about a Kaiser Foundation/Scholastic video game designed to teach kids about healthy eating. It’s in the form of a detective story–“Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective.” The article points out the irony of using video games to teach about diet and activity, but never mind. I can’t figure out how to make it work on my new computer so I haven’t tried it. Is it worthwhile? Useful? Fun for kids?

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  • Margot

    My 11 year old daughter showed no interest. It would probably work better for much younger kids. Well, at least they tried. Hopefully there will be an “improved version” – out there in the near future. Marion, please team up with some cool video game company…:)

  • I reviewed it on my blog some time ago and gave it an “F”.

    I had a bunch to say, but here’s what I had as a basic summary,

    “the same old useless messages bundled with little explanation, conflicting portion sizes and non-inspiring depictions (yay, jumping jacks in a gym by myself are fun!).

    Do people really think kids don’t know that exercise is healthier for them than watching TV? That vegetables are healthier choices than chocolate bars? That breakfast is a healthy start to the day? That doing more exercise is healthier than doing less? That smaller portions lead to smaller waists?”

    If you’d like to read the whole entry, cut, paste and click to here:

    http://bmimedical.blogspot.com/2007/09/incredible-adventures-of-amazing-food.html

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  • Yoni is almost too kind. Because, this is the worst kind of “heathly food game” in that you don’t even want to hear/listen about the subject after playing this.

    I think the execs at Kaiser P. should have to play it every day for a month…that would at least teach them something.