Planning a health promotion program: Mobile app gamification as a tool to engage adolescents

Abstract

Over the past decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been alerting about the existing overweight prevailing among the adolescents' group. This group is considered a nutritional risk group mainly because of less correct eating patterns and misbehaviors towards physical activity. To prevent obesity within this risk group, we are working on a mobile application involving gamification techniques. This article presents the preliminary results of a design study for this app, and explores possible design guidelines and processes based on results achieved in preliminary user interface and experience tests.