Visualising medical information for edutainment through animation: a case study of the Diabetes VR experience “A Choice for Life”

Over 10 per cent of the world’s population lives with Type 2 diabetes, making it a significant public health concern. In Singapore, the government launched the “War on Diabetes” in 2016, initiating efforts focused on prevention, early detection, and better disease management. A challenge that remains is promoting informed dietary choices within hawker centres - open-air food complexes central to Singaporean food culture - where diverse offerings can complicate healthy decision-making for diabetes prevention and control. This paper presents a case study of A Choice for Life, a practice-as-research project developing a virtual reality (VR) experience aimed at educating users on making healthier food choices in hawker centres. Drawing on evidence that VR experiences can influence real-world behaviour, the project integrates insights from medical professionals, animators, and game designers. The discussion focuses on the iterative development of the user interface and innovative feedback mechanisms, including emoji responses that reflect the nutritional value of users’ food selections in the virtual setting. Presenting initial findings from prototype testing, it reflects upon the value that immersive experiences hold for the future of diabetes education and plans for the further development of the project.