Can a virtual pet get kids to log their snacks?

This small, completed study tested a simple website to see if certain features could help children ages 8-12 stick with tracking their daily food and drink intake. Researchers wanted to know if adding caregiver praise, game-like elements (like points and a virtual pet), or both, made kids more likely to use the food log consistently over four weeks. The main goal was to understand what motivates children to engage in this type of self-monitoring behavior.