Extended Reality Technologies in Nutrition Education and Behavior: Comprehensive Scoping Review and Future Directions.

The use of Extended Reality (XR) (i.e. Virtual and Augmented Reality) for nutrition education and behavior change has not been comprehensively reviewed. This paper presents findings from a scoping review of current published research. Articles (n = 92) were extracted from PubMed and Scopus using a structured search strategy and selection approach. Pertinent study information was extracted using a standardized data collection form. Each article was independently reviewed and coded by two members of the research team, who then met to resolve any coding discrepancies. There is an increasing trend in publication in this area, mostly regarding Virtual Reality. Most studies used developmental testing in a lab setting, employed descriptive or observational methods, and focused on momentary behavior change like food selection rather than education. The growth and diversity of XR studies suggest the potential of this approach. There is a need and opportunity for more XR technology focused on children and other foundational theoretical determinants of behavior change to be addressed within nutrition education. Our findings suggest that XR technology is a burgeoning approach in the field of nutrition, but important gaps remain, including inadequate methodological rigor, community application, and assessment of the impact on dietary behaviors.

Medical students' perceived educational needs to prevent and treat childhood obesity.

BACKGROUND: Medical schools are challenged to incorporate more prevention-based education into curricula, offering an opportunity to revisit approaches to nutrition education. The objective of this study was to explore United States (US) medical students' understanding of childhood obesity, specifically barriers to childhood obesity prevention and treatment and students' perceived educational deficits. METHODS: The research team conducted phone interviews with 78 3rd- and 4th-year medical students, representing 25 different medical schools across the US. Using a semi-structured interview guide, researchers asked students to describe the etiology of childhood obesity and reflect on where they acquired knowledge of the etiology and what additional resources they would need to treat obese children. Using a phenomenological approach to analysis, researchers identified five dominant emergent themes. RESULTS: Student-perceived barriers to childhood obesity prevention and treatment in clinical care included student-centered (e.g., lack of knowledge), patient-centered (e.g., lack of access), and healthcare system-centered barriers (e.g., limited time). Students requested more applicable nutrition information and counseling skills relevant to preventing and treating childhood obesity; however, they tended to identify others (e.g., parents, schools), rather than themselves, when asked to describe how childhood obesity should be prevented or treated. DISCUSSION: To provide students with an understanding of their role in preventing and treating childhood obesity, US medical schools need to provide students with childhood obesity-specific and general nutrition education. To build their self-efficacy in nutrition counseling, schools can use a combination of observation and practice led by skilled physicians and other healthcare providers. Increasing students' self-efficacy through training may help them overcome perceived barriers to childhood obesity prevention and treatment.

Practical Qualitative Research Strategies: Training Interviewers and Coders.

The increased emphasis on incorporating qualitative methodologies into nutrition education development and evaluation underscores the importance of using rigorous protocols to enhance the trustworthiness of the findings. A 5-phase protocol for training qualitative research assistants (data collectors and coders) was developed as an approach to increase the consistency of the data produced. This training provides exposure to the core principles of qualitative research and then asks the research assistant to apply those principles through practice in a setting structured on critical reflection.

The development and validation of the childhood obesity prevention self-efficacy (COP-SE) survey.

BACKGROUND: Physicians can play an important role in preventing and treating childhood obesity. There are currently no validated measures of medical students' self-efficacy in these skills; therefore, we sought to develop a valid and reliable computerized survey to measure medical students' self-efficacy in skills needed to prevent and treat childhood obesity. METHODS: We developed the Childhood Obesity Prevention Self-Efficacy (COP-SE) survey with input from two expert panels and cognitive interviews with medical students. We administered the 43-item COP-SE computerized survey to a nation-wide sample of medical students. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 444 medical students from 53 medical schools. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure with a correlation of 0.637 between factors and high reliability within factors. The correlation between the COP-SE and a measure of general self-efficacy was moderate (0.648), and reliability within factors was high (Factor 1=0.946; Factor 2=0.927). CONCLUSIONS: The 18-item COP-SE is a valid and reliable measure of childhood obesity prevention self-efficacy. Factor 1 assesses self-efficacy in nutrition counseling, and Factor 2 measures self-efficacy to assess readiness to change and initiate nutrition lifestyle changes. The correlation between the COP-SE and a measure of general self-efficacy indicates that the COP-SE is a distinct, valid assessment of domain-specific self-efficacy. The high reliability of items within factors indicates the items measure the same constructs. Therefore, medical schools can use this valid and reliable instrument as a formative or summative assessment of students' self-efficacy in childhood obesity prevention and treatment.