• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Biology

Virtual avatar coaching with community context for adult-child dyads

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
March 8, 2021
in Biology
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
IMAGE
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Virtual reality avatar-based coaching shows promise to increase access to and extend the reach of nutrition education programs to children at risk for obesity, according to the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

IMAGE

Credit: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Philadelphia, March 8, 2021 – Virtual reality avatar-based coaching shows promise to increase access to and extend the reach of nutrition education programs to children at risk for obesity, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier.

Researchers introduced 15 adult-child dyads to a virtual avatar-based coaching program that incorporated age-specific information on growth; physical, social, and emotional development; healthy lifestyles; common nutrition concerns; and interview questions around eating behaviors and food resources and counseling.

“We developed a virtual reality avatar computer program as a way to get kids engaged in learning about nutrition education. The goal was to make this a program that could work to prevent childhood obesity,” said lead investigator Jared T. McGuirt, PhD, MPH, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA. “We were primarily interested in how kids and parents reacted to this program – particularly lower income kids and parents who may not have been able to access this kind of experience in the past.”

A key finding in the study was the avatar’s ability to spark dialogue between the children and adults around dietary habits and behavior. All children and adults reported liking the program and planned to use it in the future, as they found it fun, informational, and motivating. The personalized social aspect of the avatar experience was appealing, as participants thought the avatar would reinforce guidance and provide support while acting as a cue to change health behaviors.

Looking to future implementation of this program in the public health field, Dr. McGuirt noted: “We feel we have a good start. The program was designed so others can build on it, and hopefully advance this technique into community nutrition education programs.

###

Media Contact
Eileen Leahy
[email protected]

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2020.12.004

Tags: BehaviorDiet/Body WeightMedicine/HealthNutrition/NutrientsParenting/Child Care/FamilyPediatrics
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

blank

Spider Web “Decorations” Could Reveal Exact Location of Captured Prey

October 29, 2025
blank

Lehigh University Researchers Create Computational Model to Optimize Neurostimulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation

October 29, 2025

Breakthrough in Spinal Cord Injury: Bioinformatics Paves the Way for Regenerative Therapy

October 29, 2025

Unraveling the Science Behind Wildlife Trafficking and Its Links to Organized Crime

October 29, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Sperm MicroRNAs: Crucial Mediators of Paternal Exercise Capacity Transmission

    1290 shares
    Share 515 Tweet 322
  • Stinkbug Leg Organ Hosts Symbiotic Fungi That Protect Eggs from Parasitic Wasps

    311 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
  • ESMO 2025: mRNA COVID Vaccines Enhance Efficacy of Cancer Immunotherapy

    200 shares
    Share 80 Tweet 50
  • New Study Suggests ALS and MS May Stem from Common Environmental Factor

    135 shares
    Share 54 Tweet 34

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Machine Learning Enhances Breast Cancer Survival Predictions

Hypoxia Alters Calpastatin, Influencing Trophoblast Function

Unlocking Longevity: How a Unique Protein Repairs DNA in Bowhead Whales

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 67 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.