Children spend too much time on screens, and this is having negative consequences on their health and wellbeing… so, why create a program that develops content via a screen?
During our co-design process we found that there was a strong preference for interactive content, gamification, and practical resources to translate knowledge into practice. Interventions using gamification to target nutrition behaviours among children and adolescents have demonstrated increased program adherence, knowledge, self-efficacy, and nutrition-related health behaviours in the short term [5]. Health and Wellbeing Queensland recently conducted a rapid review of the impact of family-based digital interventions for obesity prevention and treatment in primary school aged children. This review, published in Nutrients journal, found that family-based digital interventions have shown some improvements in child BMI, diet, and physical activity, however, statistically significant results were mixed. Research suggests that digital approaches were acceptable and positively received by participants, with emerging evidence of the effectiveness of social media and video gaming/gamification for program delivery.
The Podsquad app experience is deliberately structured so that short bursts of online learning lead to real-world action, through engaging in offline move resources (such as activities, games and challenges), dance videos, and real-life quests.
Apps have the capacity to be engaging and fun, provide motivation and stimulation in any location and at any time. Podsquad offers a platform for individualised learning, tailored to the needs of the family.