Games for Health: A feasibility study assessing the recruitment method for a three-arm, parallel, randomised controlled trial investigating the use of interactive video games for improving health and diabetes-specific knowledge in children (9-16 years) who are at risk for type 2 diabetes

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of recruiting a total of 40 participants (~13 per group) to complete a randomised controlled pilot trial to determine the effectiveness of two health-related video games to help adolescents and young people at risk of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) to improve knowledge related to healthy lifestyles and prevention of the disease. Additional aims included to determine whether there was a change in healthy lifestyle and T2D knowledge, and young people’s attitudes toward the games. The main study involved a 1-hour baseline session where eligible young people (aged 9-13 years considered at risk of T2D, living in the greater Auckland area, who could read and understand English) answered questions about healthy lifestyles, and diabetes then randomised to play one of three games. Lifestyle knowledge and diabetes knowledge were measured at baseline, immediately after playing the game, and after four weeks. Despite considerable efforts we were only able to recruit a total of four participants, thus it was not considered feasible as defined by our primary outcome. No further analyses were conducted.