It's Time to Eat! Using Mobile Games to Promote Healthy Eating

Abstract

It's never been more important to teach youth the importance of healthy eating habits. Time to Eat, a mobile-phone-based game, motivates children to practice healthy eating habits by letting them care for a virtual pet. Players send the pet photos of the food they consume throughout the day; the food's healthiness determines the game's outcome. An examination of the game's design provides insight into the potential of deploying health games on mobile phones.