Mobile Motivation for Health Promotion Among Adolescents

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I SBIR application proposes the development and pilot testing of a health promotion mobile phone application, www.BodiMojo.mobi, for adolescents (ages 14-18). The product is designed to promote healthy eating and physical activity in older adolescents through a mobile program that can be accessed via any cell phone and to serve as a companion program to the theoretically-based, full- featured website, www.BodiMojo.com. Current efforts to improve nutrition intake and physical activity programs are very challenging to implement with this age group, particularly as related to program uptake, adherence, and social stigmatization. Mobile technology opens a world of opportunity for health and education. This project is designed to develop the mobile program "text" reminder system that includes both message content and translation to texting language geared toward improving healthy eating and rates of physical activity. A second aim will be to develop a database for a system of behavior goal tracking to be implemented on mobile phones. With the goal of addressing the unique needs of adolescents in the context of current technological innovations, BodiMojo.mobi offers a mobile-based personalized health promotion program that allows adolescents to track health goals, get empirically-based health information, and receive personalized feedback in a timely and confidential manner that extends beyond the reach of the classroom and the desktop computer. Once developed, usability testing of the mobile application will be conducted. Additionally, a pilot test of the mobile program with a sample of adolescents will be carried out to assess preliminary indicators of self-efficacy, program adherence, and acceptance. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: BodiMojo.mobi addresses the key public health issue of obesity prevention among adolescents by focusing on nutrition education and physical activity motivation through the use of mobile phones and a text messaging system to personalize and tailor health goals.