Video Game Helps People With Eating Struggles

Game designer Jiao Hsia knows what it feels like to count every calorie. As a teenager, she struggled with restrictive eating patterns that shaped her daily life.

Now Hsia has created "Consume Me," a video game that helps people understand disordered eating in a new way. Players follow a cartoon character named Jenny through school and home life. But instead of fighting dragons or enemies, players face the challenge of obsessive calorie counting.

The game shows how eating problems can quietly take over someone's life. Hsia wanted to move away from media stories that only show extreme cases. "You don't have to end up being rail thin to qualify as having an eating disorder," she explains. Her game shows that eating struggles come in many forms.

Despite its colorful, playful look, "Consume Me" tackles serious topics. The game includes trauma-informed interventions and connects players to resources for help. University of Michigan professor Kishonna Gray says games like this help people feel seen and understood. "It's actually a part of the healing arsenal," Gray notes.

The game offers a safe space for people to explore their relationship with food and find paths to support. Players can learn about getting care while experiencing a story that feels real and relatable.