"Creature-101": A Serious Game to Promote Energy Balance-Related Behaviors Among Middle School Adolescents.

Background: Considering adolescents' heavy use of media, serious videogames may provide an engaging and innovative way to achieve positive impact on adolescents' diet and physical activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of playing a serious game, "Creature-101" (developed by Teachers College, Columbia University [New York, NY] and Stottler Henke Inc. [San Mateo, CA]), at promoting energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs) such as increasing fruits and vegetables intake, water intake, and physical activity and decreasing processed snacks intake, sweetened beverages intake, and recreational screen time.