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Thesis Defence: Food Villain – A Serious Game to Promote Healthy Eating Habits
March 27 at 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Victor Okpanachi, supervised by Dr. Ifeoma Adaji, will defend their thesis titled “Food Villain – A Serious Game to Promote Healthy Eating Habits” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science.
An abstract for Victor Okpanachi’s thesis is included below.
Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Registration is not required for in-person defences.
Abstract
African international students face dietary challenges when transitioning to Western countries due to the high cost and unavailability of traditional foods, sedentary lifestyles influenced by climate, and limited access to affordable, healthy options. These challenges often lead to unhealthy dietary habits, increasing the risk of obesity and related health issues. To address this, Food Villain, a serious game, was developed to promote healthy eating habits in this demographic. The game uses gamification principles to educate users about nutrition through interactive levels where players select recipes, balance nutrients, and gain practical knowledge about healthy food choices. Accessible via the free hosting platform itch.io, Food Villain aims to provide an engaging and culturally relevant learning experience. A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted in two phases with African international students. Study 1 measured metrics such as Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Engagement, Aesthetics, and Quality of Information, while Study 2 assessed Perceived Credibility/Quality, Perceived Persuasiveness/Capability, Intention to Continue Using the System, Effectiveness, and Capability. Results from both phases showed high ratings for usefulness and information quality but identified areas needing improvement, including ease of use, engagement, and aesthetics. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses further emphasized the need for better interaction and guidance within the game. Despite these limitations, Food Villain demonstrates strong potential as an innovative tool for promoting healthy eating habits among African international students.
