Kids who played an online computer game that rewarded its protagonist—modeled after Pac-Man—with healthy digital snacks like orange juice and bananas made better food choices in the real world, a study found. Children who played a version of the game in which the on-screen rewards were sugary, salty, or fatty (like sodas and bags of chips) selected post-game snacks that were less nutritious. Just 10 minutes of game time, researchers said, was enough to influence the players’ eating habits.
Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, July 2009