Site uses gaming to reward healthy eating choices

No end in sight to the gamification trend! We’ve already seen an element of gaming brought to consumers’ daily chores, public transport and recruiting — to name just a few examples — and recently we came across a new one. The spotting this time? Foodzy, a site that turns healthy eating into a game, with rewards for those who do it well. Amsterdam-based Foodzy aims to help users keep track of what they eat during the day and then reward healthy and fun eating habits with badges. Users check into the site periodically to register what they’ve eaten — Foodzy maintains a list of food products specific to the country they live in — and those who regularly eat vegetables, fruit or fish win special badges for their healthy eating habits. Foodzy hastens to point out, however, that its primary goal is not only health or weight loss. Rather, in recognition of the belief that the best diet is a varied and enjoyable one, the site also rewards eating cake on one’s birthday, for instance, or barbecuing multiple meals over the course of the summer. In any case, badges are awarded to reflect participants’ healthful and enjoyable eating choices, and users can view detailed statistics of what they’ve eaten over time. They can also compete against friends on the site. A mobile app is on the way, and in the future, Foodzy’s API may also offer the possibility of connecting the service to hardware devices like WIFI scales, Nike Plus or XBox Kinect for an even richer experience, the company says. In the meantime, using Foodzy is free with a Lite account, but the user’s food history is kept for only 30 days. Pro accounts, on the other hand, cost USD 15 per year in exchange for an unlimited food record, detailed insights into food statistics, more badges and the opportunity to start diet plans. The motivational challenges that face dieters have been the subject of many innovations over the years, and using the latest technology to incorporate gaming mechanics seems like a logical next step. Where can you apply these mechanics to get consumers fired up? Spotted by: Katharina Kieck