Virtual Reality as a Dietary Education Adjunct for Pediatric Patients With Obesity

Childhood obesity is a national crisis, effecting up to 1 in 5 of children in the US. In the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Pediatric Weight Management Clinic, the investigators educate parents and caregivers about the importance of dietary modification. In addition to physician guidance, the investigators partner with registered dieticians to counsel families during an hour-long interview. However, traditional methods of education are limited by long-term recall. A typical person only recalls 2- 3% of didactic content after a period of 30 days.In order to improve recall and increase involvement of our pediatric patients in their own dietary modifications, the investigators propose a feasibility study investigating the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) in changing dietary choices and improving recall.

Those in the VR group will receive the same educational dietary review by the registered dietician, and additionally participate in a VR experience through an application called Chaos Café. In Chaos Café, patients are immersed into a computer-generated kitchen environment. A humorous robotic chef serves children different food groups. Gameplay is advanced by choosing healthy foods, while eating unhealthy foods does not advance the application.

Those in the SOC group will have the typical appointment, which includes a review of healthy diet choices with a registered dietitian and follow up according to clinic's SOC.

In VR application, Chaos Café, patients are immersed into a computer-generated kitchen environment. A humorous robotic chef serves children different food groups. Gameplay is advanced by choosing healthy foods, while eating unhealthy foods does not advance the application.

Short-term behavior modification will be assessed by comparing the selection of an appointment exit reward the end of the study visit. Participants will be presented with two options, a sticker and a piece of candy. Selection of reward will be recorded.

After their appointment, participants will be asked to complete a 10-item questionnaire that reviews the key learning objectives from their appointment. At their followup visit, they will be re-examined at the start of their appointment.

Participants will be asked to complete a 5-item satisfaction survey related to their educational experience. Each item will have a scale of 1-5 with anchors, probing participants' engagement with the learning material.

Inclusion Criteria: Ages 6-18 years of age Able to consent or have parental consent Diagnosis of Obesity Grade 1, 2 and 3 at LPCH/SHC facilities Exclusion Criteria: People who do not consent Significant Cognitive Impairment History of Severe Motion Sickness Visual Problems