Online autopsy game to show children dangers of junk food

By Charlotte Goddard Wednesday, 26 November 2008

The British Heart Foundation is encouraging children to carry out online autopsies to highlight the impact of eating junk food.

Yoobot

The charity has today launched an online game, the Yoobot, which allows children to create a mini version of themselves that they can personalise with an uploaded photograph.

Children can choose the look and surroundings of the Yoobot, which will communicate with them via email and SMS. If left alone it will begin to eat junk food all day, and eventually die, allowing children to perform an autopsy to find out why.

The game launches off the back of research by the British Heart Foundation which found that seven out of 10 eight- to 15-year-olds don't realise that eating badly can shorten their life.

Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The Yoobot is an innovative way for children to explore the effects of eating a diet of junk food. The clock is ticking on the obesity time bomb and it is now more important than ever for children to be educated enough to take control of their diets."