Promotion of Daily Recommended Physical Activity for Adolescents' Health Through Mobile Apps, Wearables, and a Gamified TAC
Promotion of Daily Recommended Physical Activity for Adolescents' Health Through Mobile Apps, Wearables, and a Gamified TAC
A primary factor in preventing diseases in adulthood, as well as overweight and obesity, is the promotion of physical activity from childhood and adolescence. Although the recommendations for practicing physical activity at this stage are broad, low rates of practice that do not comply with the recommendations are reported. There is a high percentage of use of new technologies, particularly mobile applications, they have been used with some success to improve the health of similar populations, although its use for this purpose has certain limitations. Therefore, this project will investigate whether the use of various mobile and wearable applications can be an effective way to periodically increase physical activity levels and establish new healthy habits that improve the present and future health of adolescents. Several secondary education centers in the Region of Murcia will participate in this project. The objective is to obtain relevant results that can serve as a starting point for other interventions at a national or international level.
The promotion of physical activity among young people has become a crucial factor in preventing adult-onset diseases, particularly overweight and obesity, and in improving health and well-being during this stage. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 60 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per day (or the equivalent in vigorous activity) and at least three days a week of strength-resistance exercises for children and adolescents. However, surveys on the physical activity habits of Spanish adolescents indicate that more than 50% do not meet these recommendations. Excessive use of new technologies has been identified as a predisposing factor for decreased physical activity, a habit that is increasingly common among adolescents. This, combined with the sedentary conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a significant increase in sedentary behavior among the young population. Nevertheless, new technologies, particularly mobile applications, have been used with some success to improve the health of similar populations, although their use for this purpose has certain limitations. Therefore, this project aims to address the decline in physical activity among the adolescent population and provide resources that will endure over time to promote physical activity among adolescents within the educational sphere. It's worth noting that during the period of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), there are only two hours of Physical Education (PE) per week, making it impossible to meet the recommended levels of practice solely through school-based physical activity. Thus, it is necessary to create resources that encourage physical activity in leisure time, involving both students and teachers, and that can also be utilized by future generations. This project builds upon prior research in promoting physical activity through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), but adapts it to a more sedentary social context, vastly different from before, requiring new strategies to increase physical activity in adolescents and thereby promote the preservation of physical and mental health following the inactivity imposed by the COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, this project will investigate whether the use of various mobile applications and wearables can be an effective way to regularly increase physical activity levels and establish new healthy habits that improve both present and future health for adolescents. Additionally, it aims to provide teachers and students with an application that effectively encourages physical activity within the educational context, guided by professionals in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, yet remains engaging and motivating for continued use. This will allow for a combination of physical activity and education within the context of Technology-Enhanced Learning and Communication (TAC). This project will involve several secondary education centers in the Region of Murcia, as it is one of the autonomous communities with higher levels of inactivity, overweight, and obesity in early ages. The goal is to obtain relevant results that can serve as a starting point for other interventions at a national or international level.
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