Reducing lifestyle risk behaviors among adolescents depends on access to age-appropriate health promotion information. Chatbots-computer programs designed to simulate conversations with human ...users-have the potential to deliver health information to adolescents to improve their lifestyle behaviors and support behavior change, but research on the feasibility and acceptability of chatbots in the adolescent population is unknown.
This systematic scoping review aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of chatbots in nutrition and physical activity interventions among adolescents. A secondary aim is to consult adolescents to identify features of chatbots that are acceptable and feasible.
We searched 6 electronic databases from March to April 2022 (MEDLINE, Embase, Joanna Briggs Institute, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, the Association for Computing Machinery library, and the IT database Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Peer-reviewed studies were included that were conducted in the adolescent population (10-19 years old) without any chronic disease, except obesity or type 2 diabetes, and assessed chatbots used nutrition or physical activity interventions or both that encouraged individuals to meet dietary or physical activity guidelines and support positive behavior change. Studies were screened by 2 independent reviewers, with any queries resolved by a third reviewer. Data were extracted into tables and collated in a narrative summary. Gray literature searches were also undertaken. Results of the scoping review were presented to a diverse youth advisory group (N=16, 13-18 years old) to gain insights into this topic beyond what is published in the literature.
The search identified 5558 papers, with 5 (0.1%) studies describing 5 chatbots meeting the inclusion criteria. The 5 chatbots were supported by mobile apps using a combination of the following features: personalized feedback, conversational agents, gamification, and monitoring of behavior change. Of the 5 studies, 2 (40.0%) studies focused on nutrition, 2 (40.0%) studies focused on physical activity, and 1 (20.0%) focused on both nutrition and physical activity. Feasibility and acceptability varied across the 5 studies, with usage rates above 50% in 3 (60.0%) studies. In addition, 3 (60.0%) studies reported health-related outcomes, with only 1 (20.0%) study showing promising effects of the intervention. Adolescents presented novel concerns around the use of chatbots in nutrition and physical activity interventions, including ethical concerns and the use of false or misleading information.
Limited research is available on chatbots in adolescent nutrition and physical activity interventions, finding insufficient evidence on the acceptability and feasibility of chatbots in the adolescent population. Similarly, adolescent consultation identified issues in the design features that have not been mentioned in the published literature. Therefore, chatbot codesign with adolescents may help ensure that such technology is feasible and acceptable to an adolescent population.
Engaging young people in research is a promising approach to tackling issues like chronic disease prevention. Our involvement as youth advisors provided valuable experiences, including being at the ...forefront of change and learning to work within a research team. Furthermore, our experience provides greater insight and learnings for future youth engagement in research.
Adolescents are navigating a period of rapid growth and development within an era of digitalization. Mobile phone ownership among adolescents is nearly ubiquitous, and this provides an opportunity to ...harness text messaging to promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce chronic disease risk factors. Inclusion of adolescents throughout the design process has been recognized as essential for engagement and future implementation of such interventions. This study aimed to co-design a bank of text messages to promote a healthy lifestyle which are useful, acceptable, and engaging for adolescents aged 12-18 years old.
Iterative, mixed-methods design with consumer partnership. Co-design occurred over three stages: text message development, text message review and final refinement and testing. The text message development included literature searches and consumer partnership with an established youth advisory group (n = 16). Participants who gave e-consent participated in text message review. Demographic characteristics were collected, and quantitative surveys were distributed to adolescents (n = up to 50) and health professionals (n = up to 30), who rated text message content for understanding, usefulness and appropriateness (total score out of 15). Final refinement was completed by the research team to edit or remove messages which had low scores and to assess readability and interactivity of the text messages.
The Heath Advisory Panel for Youth at the University of Sydney (HAPYUS) identified the top six lifestyle health issues for young people today in relation to chronic disease prevention, which became the key content areas for the text message bank and drafted new text messages. Following text message development, 218 messages were available for review. Adolescents (n = 18, mean age 16.3 SD 1.4) and healthcare professionals (n = 16) reviewed the text messages. On average, all reviewers found that the text messages were easy to understand (mean = 13.4/15) and useful (mean = 12.7/15). Based on scoring and open ended-feedback, 91 text messages were edited and 42 deleted. The final text message bank included 131 text messages. The overall program is suitable for a seventh-grade reading level, and interactive.
This study describes the process of effectively engaging adolescents to co-design a text message bank intervention, which are useful, acceptable and engaging for an adolescent audience. The effectiveness of the co-designed text message bank is currently being tested in the Health4Me RCT.
The Impacts of Junk Food on Health Jia, Si Si; Wardak, Sara; Raeside, Rebecca ...
Frontiers for young minds,
4/2022, Letnik:
10
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, otherwise known as junk foods, have never been more accessible and available. Young people are bombarded with unhealthy junk-food choices daily, and this can lead ...to life-long dietary habits that are difficult to undo. In this article, we explore the scientific evidence behind both the short-term and long-term impacts of junk food consumption on our health.
Youth advisory groups (YAGs) are super teams of young people who help scientists understand what is important to people their age. In our study, we wanted to find out how being involved in a YAG ...benefits young people and improves scientific research. We found that when young people joined a YAG for 1 year, they gained leadership and problem-solving skills. They told us that being in a YAG made them feel their voices were heard and included. They got to share their ideas, influence decision making, and make a difference in scientific research. But it was not always easy. We learned that YAGs face challenges, like not having enough time and difficulty meeting face-to-face. Yet, with some flexibility and supportive scientists, YAGs can succeed. We learned that a small group of thoughtful and committed young people can make a big difference and help make health research better.
Summary
Food accessibility was considerably impacted by restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, leading to growth in the online food retail sector, which offered ...contact‐free delivery. This systematic review aimed to assess the change in use of online food retail platforms during COVID‐19. The secondary aim was to identify diet‐related chronic disease risk factors including dietary intake, eating behaviors, and/or weight status associated with the use of online food retail platforms during the pandemic. The review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022320498) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Nine electronic databases were searched between January 2020 and October 2023. Studies that reported the frequency or change in use of online groceries, meal delivery applications, and/or meal‐kit delivery services before and during the pandemic were included. A total of 53 studies were identified, including 46 cross‐sectional studies, 4 qualitative studies, 2 longitudinal cohort studies, and 1 mixed‐methods study. Overall, 96% (43/45) of outcomes showed an increase in the use of online groceries during COVID‐19, while 55% (22/40) of outcomes showed a decrease in meal delivery applications. Eight of nine outcomes associated the use of online food retail with weight gain and emotional eating. Further research is needed to investigate the links between online food retail and obesity.
Tidigare forskning påvisar att det förekommer mycket stillasittande när barn befinner sig på förskolan och är barn fysiskt aktiva är det främst i utomhusmiljön. Forskningen visar även att få barn ...utveckla de grundläggande motoriska färdigheterna i tidig ålder kan det förbättra barns sociala beteende samt den kognitiva utvecklingen. Vidare visar forskning genom att inomhusmiljö på förskolan förändras så barnen får röra sig fritt kan det leda till att barn vill vara mer fysiskt aktiva. Syftet med studien var därför att ge en djupare förståelse för hur förskollärare arbetar med olika rörelseaktiviteter i inomhusmiljö på förskolan för att utveckla barnens motoriska färdigheter. Vidare undersöktes hur förskollärare ser på sin egen roll i arbete med rörelseaktiviteter inomhus och deras beskrivningar av vilken betydelse det sociala samspelet har för barnens utveckling av motoriska färdigheter genom rörelseaktiviteter. Studien utgick från en kvalitativ metod där insamlingen av empiri utfördes genom intervjuer med sex olika förskollärare. Den insamlade empirin har analyserats utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv där den proximala utvecklingszonen, scaffolding och mediering stått i fokus. Resultatet visar att samtliga förskollärare i studien utförde rörelseaktiviteter i inomhusmiljön. De ansåg att när de utförde olika rörelseaktiviteter tillsammans med barnen var syftet att barnen skulle få utveckla sina grundläggande motoriska färdigheter. Resultatet visar att förskollärarna anser att genom stöttning och att de själv är aktiva i rörelseaktiviteter tillsammans med barnen kan förskollärare vara ett föredöme och motivera barnen till att delta i det sociala samspelet. Slutsatsen vilken kan dras från resultatet, utifrån den teoretiska utgångspunkten, är att förskollärares uppmuntran samt den språkliga och fysiska kommunikation bidrar till att barn utvecklas vidare och lär sig att behärska nya motoriska färdigheter.
