BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
26 May 2023 Blood Sugar Balance: A Glucose Metabolism Web Game for Diabetes Education
Atom J. Lesiak, Joan C. Griswold
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Blood Sugar Balance (BSB) is an accessible web-based game, created as an extension of our federally funded type 2 diabetes curriculum for high school biology classrooms. Modeling of complex systems and diseases, like metabolism and type 2 diabetes (T2D), is especially difficult and deeply impactful when executed in an engaging way. Blood Sugar Balance integrates environmental factors, biological factors, and personal choices to model glucose metabolism and understand the impact and risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Players earn points during gameplay by ensuring their game character maintains healthy blood glucose levels throughout the play period by regulating them. Players must make choices about food, exercise, and the release of hormones from the pancreas to manage blood glucose levels. Game settings can model the stages of type 2 diabetes as well as environmental factors that limit access to food, exercise, and health care options. Gameplay is fast and engaging, allowing exploration of factors that impact the final score. For example, how might accessibility to insulin impact the final score while playing at the type 2 diabetes setting? Here we describe the development of Blood Sugar Balance and the integration of data analysis into the accompanying NGSS-aligned lesson plan.

Atom J. Lesiak and Joan C. Griswold "Blood Sugar Balance: A Glucose Metabolism Web Game for Diabetes Education," The American Biology Teacher 85(5), 270-277, (26 May 2023). https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2023.85.5.270
Published: 26 May 2023
JOURNAL ARTICLE
8 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
environmental influence
food choice
gamification
glucose metabolism
homeostasis
insulin
pancreas
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top