The utilization of current technology in raising children awareness of the needs of nutrition: A literature review

Abstract

Objectives: One of the main problems of public health in the world is children's malnutrition. Lack of education and knowledge about nutrition is one of the factors that cause the problem of malnutrition. Smartphone and computer-based educational games, which nowadays children familiar with, are few forms of technological advancements used in the health sector. This literature review aimed to explore articles about the use of technology in raising awareness of nutrition needs in the pediatric area. Methods: The searching process involved two databases; the e-resources page of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia, and Google Scholar in the 2012-2019 period. Keywords used in the literature search include children, nutrition, dietary behavior, technology, and nutrition learning. From 316 articles obtained and through the selection process, 5 articles were found that were in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: A simplified thematic analysis revealed five themes; the changes of children behavior in choosing foods, various application forms, the knowledge improvement amongst children, the increase of the children's participation, and the enhancement of children's attitude in learning about nutrition. Conclusions: Finally, nurses are expected to have curiosity and the willingness to accept technological developments in the intervention of providing education to children and families. The latest evidence-based technology can be used by health care educator as a new strategy in an effort to improve the nutritional status of children. The recommendation from this literature review is to conduct research to identify the factors that influence the effectiveness of games and application in increasing children's awareness about the goodness of nutrition.