Promoting Healthy Teenage Behaviour Through the Use of a Novel Mhealth Technology Platform: Pegaso, Developed With and for Teenagers

Mobile technology is ubiquitous in teenagers' lives, providing an opportunity for health behavior monitoring, teenage and scientific requirements with a framework of behavior change (Michie et al. 2011) for real-time behavior detection and evaluation using an innovative technology platform to target obesity-related behaviors in teenagers (Pate et al. 2013). An evaluation of the multi-technology system (mobile applications, wearable sensors and serious game) is being undertaken to understand ; - the impact on teenage lifestyle awareness and motivation for healthier behaviors - teenage experience of longitudinal system interaction and perspectives on health information technologies. Following three UCD stages of technology development, across four European sites (England, Scotland, Italy, Catalonia), 525 teenagers aged 13-16 are taking part in a 6- month quasi experimental two-arm pilot trial. Participants are recruited from schools at each pilot site. The intervention group is testing the PEGASO system whereas the comparison group continues their usual educational routine. The primary outcomes are between and within group changes in physical activity, sedentary behaviour, diet and sleeping behaviour, and knowledge about a healthy lifestyle. Secondary outcomes include; anthropometric measures, motivation, habit formation, self-awareness, user experience of the mHealth intervention and engagement. Preliminary findings demonstrate that teenagers are keen to engage with mobile and wireless health technologies providing individualised feedback. Teenagers positively report on the system in relation to understanding more about their personal health and the opportunities of 'quantified self. Initial responses about sharing data are mixed, with preferences to be limited to parents but at the teenager's discretion. Connectivity to healthcare services and clinical experts was positively viewed but again with individual needs underpinning those features. Further data collection and statistical analysis of the behavioral, physical and psychological parameters will provide insight into any behavior changes exhibited by the teenage participants and whether engagement in the system relates to an increase in personal health awareness. Lessons learnt regard the challenges and opportunities associated with implementation of mHealth for teenagers, social connectivity, health inequalities, teens as lead users of technology and their expectations, state of the art mHealth vs mai