Current methods for providing nutrition education on portion size and calorie density
rely on didactic tactics such as pamphlets, handouts, and slide show presentations
in appointments with registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). Recent advances in
technology, including the development of and increased accessibility to immersive
virtual reality (iVR) devices, have been proposed as a novel and impactful method
of providing nutrition education.
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,
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,
3
,
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Immersive virtual reality is becoming increasingly commonplace, with headsets commercially
available and as cost-effective as a few hundred dollars, or less than the price of
other popular gaming systems. Opportunities for designing immersive experiences are
manifold and can encompass various aspects of the food choice spectrum, including
but not limited to grocery stores, buffets, restaurants, and clinical settings. Within
the context of nutrition education, perhaps the largest benefit of iVR is the ability
to experience simulated environments in a realistic and ecologically relevant manner
at a 1:1 scale, realistically simulating food. For example, individuals can practice
cutting food, assembling meals, and interacting with kitchen tools appropriately.
Alongside these interactive capabilities, the presentation of food models in the iVR
setting has been demonstrated to elicit similar physiological and psychological (eg,
cravings) responses to real-world food items.
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,6
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 20,
2022
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
