Designing a mobile app to promote healthy behaviors and prevent obesity: analysis of adolescents’ preferences

ABSTRACT

To ensure that adolescents adhere to programmes promoting healthy behaviors, these programmes must be appealing and interesting. This study aims to characterize and assess the devices, operating system and type of mobile apps frequently used by adolescents; understand the features that mHealth apps should have to be appealing; comprehend the facilitators and barriers for adolescents to use mHealth apps. The sample comprised 165 adolescents (12–18 years) from the main population, recruited in 2018. Most participants used smartphones and the Android system. Food and physical activity suggestions were considered the most important features for an mHealth app. 62.6% had never tried an mHealth app. For those who had tried one, 26.0% stated it was to improve health status/lifestyle. Their favorite feature was physical exercise tips/plans (41.8%). Adolescents pointed out that the reasons that made them keep using the app were utility and interest (35.7%). Regarding possible barriers, 48.4% reported a lack of a senseof need/practical utility, and 18.8% considered notifications as their least favorite feature. Lack of interest was pointed out for 38.2% as the main reason for stopping use. Results provide practical information for the planning, design, and implementation of future mHealth apps for the promotion of healthy behaviors – an important implication for future research in this area.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• information and communication technologies
• mobile app
• TeenPower

Acknowledgments

This study is on behalf of the research group of the project TeenPower: e-Empowering teenagers to prevent obesity. This work was supported and co-funded by the FEDER (European Regional Development Fund), under the Portugal 2020 Program, through COMPETE 2020 (Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program). We acknowledge the Polytechnic Institutes of Leiria, Santarém and Castelo Branco, the Municipality of Leiria (City Hall), and all members, institutions and students involved in the project.

Disclosure Statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Notes

¹ Only adolescents who reported they previously tried and mHealth, answer to these set of questions. Because each adolescents could chose more than one, the n presented in this table could be higher than the number of respondents.

² That is, desire to eat more healthily.

³ Message or alert sent by the app. Notifications sent this way do not require the application to be open and messages are displayed on the screen of the mobile even when the device is locked.

⁴ That is, practical information and tips for making dishes.

Additional information

Funding

Co-funded by the FEDER (European Regional Development Fund), under the Portugal 2020 Program, through COMPETE 2020 (Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program).