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Researchers at University of Tsukuba reported that using manga as an educational tool in diabetes instruction for children can be equally effective as traditional lectures in enhancing diabetes-related knowledge and engagement in physical activity. Moreover, reading a comic book was perceived as more satisfying, and this sense of satisfaction contributed to behavioral changes.

Tsukuba, Japan—Diabetes is a prevalent condition that affects children and adults, which underscores the importance of fostering accurate knowledge and healthy lifestyle habits from an early age. However, certain misconceptions persist such as the belief that "diabetes is a disease caused by laziness" or "physical activity should be avoided when using insulin." These discrepancies in understanding highlight the need for accurate and accessible educational approaches. In this study, the researchers developed an original manga focused on diabetes and evaluated its educational impact. Thirty children aged 8-15 years from Ibaraki Prefecture were randomly assigned to a manga and a lecture group. Across the first two weeks, physical activity was monitored using an accelerometer (a device that tracks steps and movement), followed by an assessment of the children's diabetes-related knowledge. The same measurements and tests were repeated 6 months later.

The findings demonstrated that both groups exhibited significant improvements in diabetes-related knowledge and levels of physical activity, which implies that manga and lectures were comparably effective. Notably, children in the manga group reported higher levels of psychological satisfaction, which correlated with improved test scores and physical activities. This relationship was not observed in the lecture group. These results illustrate that manga may enhance motivation and enjoyment, indicating that the mechanisms underlying educational effectiveness may vary according to the medium used.

This study demonstrates that manga can effectively convey accurate information on diabetes and promote behavioral changes through increased physical activity. Therefore, further research using a larger sample of children could provide valuable insights for health education initiatives in schools and communities.

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This research was funded by the "Francebed Homecare Foundation, 35th Research activity Grants for FY2024 Grant Number: FBK240531041".

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Effects of a diabetes-themed cartoon-based education on disease knowledge and physical activity among Japanese children: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

Journal:

Clinical Pediatric Endocrinology

DOI:

10.1297/cpe.2025-0058

Correspondence

Professor SUZUKI Kenji
Specially Appointed Assistant Professor SUZUKI Yasuhiro
Institute of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Systems and Information Engineering