Give Me 5 For Children

The rising incidence of obesity in children in the U.S. contributes to obesity in adulthood. A strong correlation has been described between obesity and chronic diseases. Therefore, the overall goal of our project is to prevent the development of chronic diseases by affecting improved nutrition to decrease childhood obesity. The objective of this proposed Phase I project is to design and develop an interactive, web-based product for children, which focuses on healthy food choices. The specific aims for this proposal are to 1) design an interactive, game-based website based on healthy food choices for children; 2) develop and test two prototype modules regarding ¿Healthy Snacks¿ and ¿Eating A Healthy Breakfast;¿ and 3) demonstrate the feasibility of developing a web-based program to provide education for children and their families to increase healthy food choices. The basis of the interface will be "Give Me 5 For Children", utilizing a game and instructional format to engage the target audience, children ages 5-8. Simultaneously, parents or guardians will receive similar education from a nutrition website for adults. Upon completion of Phase I and II, we will have developed and produced a web-based training program to positively influence healthy food choices affecting the entire family.