Development and functionality of a handheld computer program to improve fruit and vegetable intake among low-income youth

• Published in: Health education research 2013-04, Vol.28 (2), p.249-264
• Main Authors: Nollen, Nicole L., Hutcheson, Tresza, Carlson, Susan, Rapoff, Michael, Goggin, Kathy, Mayfield, Carlene, Ellerbeck, Edward
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Advisory Committees; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Computer Software; Computers, Handheld; Cues; Diet - methods; Diet - psychology; Eating Habits; Ethnic Groups; Female; Females; Food; Fruit; Girls; Handheld computers; Handheld Devices; Health Behavior; Health Education - methods; Health Promotion; Health Promotion - methods; Health technology assessment; Healthy food; Humans; Low Income; Medical sciences; Minority Groups; Miscellaneous; Mobile Applications; Original; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Physical Activities; Prototypes; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Technology; Testing; Vegetables
• ISSN: 0268-1153; 1465-3648
• DOI: 10.1093/her/cys099

Mobile technologies hold promise for improving diet and physical activity, but little attention is given to creating programs that adolescents like and will use. This study developed a personal digital assistant (PDA) program to promote increased intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) in predominately low-income, ethnic minority girls. This study used a three-phase communityengaged process, including (i) engagement of a Student Advisory Board (SAB) to determine comfort with PDAs; (ii) early testing of Prototype I and rapid re-design by the SAB and (iii) feasibility testing of Prototype II in a new sample of girls. Phase 1 results showed that girls were comfortable with the PDA. Testing of Prototype I in Phase 2 showed that acceptability was mixed, with girls responding to 47.3% of the prompts. Girls wanted more reminders, accountability in monitoring FV, help in meeting daily goals and free music downloads based on program use. The PDA was reprogrammed and testing of Prototype II in Phase 3 demonstrated marked improvement in use (783%), increases in FV intake (1.8 ±2.6 daily servings) and good overall satisfaction. Findings suggest that mobile technology designed with the early input of youth is a promising way to improve adolescent health behaviors.