Gamified Learning for Sustainable Eating: Exploring the Role of Prior Knowledge and Readiness to Change

Leonie Otten , Maja Brockmeyer, Sarah Eitze 

Background: Dietary habits play a central role in the transition toward a more sustainable food system. However, many consumers lack an understanding of the principles of sustainable eating.
Objective: This study examined whether a gamified quiz could enhance knowledge about the environmental impact of food. Additionally, it explored the role of prior knowledge and readiness for change, based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), in the learning process.
Methods: A quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study with a pre-post design was conducted with 338 participants. Knowledge about sustainable eating was measured using a newly developed and piloted scale, and readiness for change was assessed using an adapted version of the TTM measures. The data were analyzed using t-tests, regression analyses, and variance analyses.
Results: The quiz led to a significant increase in knowledge, particularly among participants with low prior knowledge. Contrary to expectations, no significant differences in knowledge gain were observed based on readiness to change, as defined by the Transtheoretical Model.
Conclusion: Gamification has the potential to enhance knowledge about sustainable eating. Further research with more diverse samples and comprehensive measurement tools is needed to better understand the long-term effects on knowledge and to promote sustainable nutrition education in practice.