Interactive Digital Nutrition Education for Primary School Children: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v8i6.2807Keywords:
dietary behaviour, digital nutrion education, food literacy, primary school, serious gameAbstract
Interactive digital nutrition education is increasingly used in primary schools, but its effects are clearer for learning than for sustained dietary change. To synthesise evidence on interactive digital nutrition education for primary school children, with attention to nutrition knowledge, food literacy, dietary behaviour, engagement, and implications for school health practice. PubMed and Scopus were searched for studies published from January 2015 to 30 September 2026. Two reviewers independently screened records and resolved disagreements by consensus. Eligible studies involved primary school children using an interactive digital nutrition intervention with at least one measurable child-level outcome. Design-specific JBI tools and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool were used for methodological appraisal, and findings were synthesised narratively because interventions and outcomes were heterogeneous. The searches identified 149 records; 134 unique records were screened, 34 reports underwent eligibility assessment, and 20 reports representing 19 unique studies were included. Serious games were the most common modality. Knowledge and food-literacy outcomes were generally favourable, whereas effects on food choice and dietary intake were less consistent. Methodological safeguards were strongest in randomised trials; common limitations were unclear allocation concealment, limited blinding, short follow-up, and absence of control groups in several pilot studies. Interactive digital nutrition education is promising for short-term learning and engagement in primary school children. Behavioural effects appear more likely when digital learning is linked to repeated practice and real food choices in the school environment.
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