Game show promotes nutrition education for elders

GEM NO. 82

Game Show Promotes Nutrition Education for Elders Alan Balsam and Donna Poe, Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, One Davis Square, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144 This GEM describes the "Let's Make A Meal" game show, which we developed to assist elders in improving their nutritional practices. This game show is similar to a TV game show concept that was developed to teach Head Start staff (1), except that the "Wheel of Fortune" TV game show was a major influence on our model. The central feature of "Let's Make A Meal" is a large wheel divided into four categories: bread, dessert, vegetable/ salad, and main dish (see Photos 1 and 2). We constructed the wheel and its backing with corrogated cardboard and used a large bolt and several nuts to secure the wheel to the backing. (When securing the wheel to its backing, it is important to make sure there is sufficient play between the two items to allow the wheel to spin freely.) The wheel is 2%' in diameter and is mounted on a piece of backing2V2' by 4'. We used bonding glue to attach colored cloth and felt to the wheel, and we used an easel to raise the entire apparatus about 3' above the floor. Our total cost for the materials to construct the wheel was less than $50. Before the game, we choose three contestants from the audience, many of whom have participated in a separate nutrition education project-a recipe contest for seniors (2). A nutrition staff member is the master of ceremonies. The

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The "Let's Make A Meal" game show wheel. made of heavy duty corrogated cardboard, constructed for under $50. staff member bounds onto the stage and exclaims: "Let's Make A Mea!!" The MC then chooses a volunteer from the audience to spin the wheel and asks the three contestants, who have been selected earlier, to "Come on down! " The contestants are seated at a table, and in front of each contestant is a bell and a scorecard. The MC explains the game and the show begins. A typical game lasts about 15 minutes and goes something like this: The volunteer spins the wheel, and it lands on the "bread" category. The contestants are poised and ready to "ring in" if they know the answer to the question selected by the MC.

The MC asks, "What can you replace white flour with to increase the nutritional value in many bread and muffin recipes?" A player rings in, is called on, and responds: "Wholegrain flour can replace part of the white flour." "Correct," says the MC, reading the complete correct response off the back of the question card. The audience cheers their favorite contestant as points are displayed on the scorecard in front of each player. The show continues until a contestant scores 5 points. Winners get special prizes, and the other players and the volunteer who spins the wheel get small gifts. Reactions of the contestants and the audience have been positive, and the show has been featured on local cable TV. It has also been showcased at the statewide New Horizons New Nutrition Recipe Contest, which is cosponsored by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the Massachusetts Association of Elderly Nutrition Programs. Note

For a complete list of game show questions or for more information, please contact the first author in care of SCES, 1 Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144. Literature Cited

Ross, D.C., L.A. Singletary, and M. McLeod. Using a TV game show format to teach Head Start staff, Journal of Nutrition Education 18:74A, 1986. 2 Balsam, A., and G. Falconer. Nutrition recipe contest for seniors. Journal of Nutrition Education 16:136B, 1984.

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Nutrition Center participants play "Let's Make A Meal." JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION 19:1680, 1987

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