Table 1 Summary of overall study characteristics, outcomes and effectiveness
Author/Date/ Location/Design | Age (years) | Measurements of low-SES | Intervention versus control | Parental involvement | Behaviour change theories | Primary outcomes and Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nollen (2014) [46], United States, 2-arm RCT | 9–14 | Median annual household. 2010 US Census obtained indicators of SES | Intervention: MyPal A626 handheld computer (similar to smartphone) Length: 12 weeks (FV intake only captured Baseline to Week 4) Duration: N/A Follow-up: For FV, Week 4 Control: Manuals composed of screenshots of the MyPal without some content | No behaviour/involvement mentioned | No theory mentioned | Fruit and Vegetable (FV) Intake (FVs: weeks 1–4); Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs: Weeks 5–8), and Screen time (Weeks 9—12) Results: Exhibited trends toward increased FVs from baseline to Week 4 follow-up (+ 0.88, p = 0.08) and decreased SSBs (-0.33, p = 0.09) from baseline to Week 4 FV follow-up. Increased FV from Baseline: + 2.53 ± 1.45 to Week 4: + 3.35 ± 1.81 |
Baranwoski (2011) [47], United Kingdom, 2-arm RCT | 10–12 | Highest household education | Intervention: Diab and Nano video game. 24-inch iMac computers with the games and Microsoft Windows XP operating system preinstalled Length: 9 sessions per game Duration: 40-min of game-play per session (6 h total) Follow-up: 2-months Control: Diet and physical activity knowledge-based games on popular websites | No parental involvement. Post-game interviews with parents asking about children’s playing time | Social Cognitive Self Determination, Persuasion theories | Servings of fruit, vegetable, and water; minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Results: Baseline: + 1.88 ± 0.13 servings per day. Immediately after intervention: + 1.85 ± 0.13 servings per day. 2 months follow-up: + 2.15 ± 0.13 servings per day. Increased FV consumption by 0.67 servings per day (< 0.018) |
Thompson (2015) [48], United States, 4-arm RCT | 9–11 and one parent | Highest household education Average annual household income | Intervention: Squire’s Quest I and II. School computers following a pre-set schedule Length: 10-episode video game for kids and 10 electronic newsletters to parents Duration: Episodes no longer than one hour to complete Follow-up: 3-months Control: Played the game, but only set a goal to eat FV and did not create an action or coping implementation intention | Parents taught how to help their child meet FV goals, ho to create a healthy home environment, and how to overcome barriers | Social cognitive theory Self-determination/determination Behavioral inoculation Maintenance Elaboration likelihood model | Fruit and vegetable intake Results: Baseline: children consumed average of 1.8 servings of FV. Post intervention: Action (p > 0.0001) and Coping (p < 0.0001) had significant increases in FV intake compared to baseline. Post 2 Intervention: Action group maintained these increases (p > 0.0001) and had almost a 50% increase in FV intake at Post 1 (0.72 servings), and maintained this increase at follow up (0.68 servings) |
Bakirci-Taylor (2019) [23], United States, RCT | 3–8 | Family income | Intervention: Mobile Jump2Health website, Facebook, text messages, Facebook, posts, and text messages Length: 10 Weeks Duration: Website, 12-text messages and 177 Facebook posts Follow-up: Week 10 Control: No access to website or social media: only 12 text messages about physical activity | Parents encouraged to increase FV intake, variety of FV and accessibility of FV provided to child | Social Cognitive Theory | Improve fruit and vegetable consumption and accessibility in children and skin carotenoids Results: Intervention for total fruits was n = 93 and went to n = 117 at week 5 and then went back down to n = 90 post intervention week 10 (p = 0.62) compared with control who was at a total of n = 87 at week 10. Intervention for total vegetables was n = 113 then went up to n = 128 week 5, and then back down to n = 97 week 10 (p = 0.90). Significant week x treatment interactions in skin carotenoid levels from the Veggie Meter the intervention group compared with the control group (p > 0.001 and parents p > 0.001) |
Wengreen (2021) [49], United States, RCT | 5–11 | Qualifying for free/reduced lunch | Intervention: FIT Game. Comic-book formatted episodes projected onto a large screen in the school cafeteria daily in lunch Length: 8 weeks Duration: 3 min episodes, 32 episodes, Game played 44 days in a year Follow-up: 3-months Control: No intervention provided | No parental involvement stated | Not labelled | Fruit and vegetable intake and higher skin carotenoids Results: Children in intervention consumed more vegetables (10.66 g, d = 0.41, p < 0.001) compared with the control, (1.43 g, d = 0.06, p = 0.458), and more fruit (15.66 g, d = 0.39, p < 0.001). Gain did not last follow-up period (− 12.72 g, d =  − 0.31, p < 0.001). Fruit consumption returned to the pre-intervention level (2.95 g, d = 0.07, p = 0.332). Modest FV increase of + 26.45 g in the intervention phase. Maintained 3-months (d = 0.21). + 5.53 g of total fruits and vegetables |