TeenPower: e-Empowering Teenagers to Prevent Obesity
Condition: Adolescent Obesity; Empowerment; ICT
MeSH terms: Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Transdisciplinary practice-based action research project that aims to develop innovative
      cognitive-behavioral interventions to empower adolescents, through increased and interactive
      contact between adolescent and multidisciplinary healthcare team. Project born from the
      discussion with trans-territorial stakeholders (health professionals and school communities),
      in the absence of an integrated, creative and dynamic strategy of overweight prevention and
      promotion of salutogenic behaviors in adolescents.

      The polytechnics of Leiria, Santarém and Castelo Branco are co-promotors of this project, as
      well as Município de Leiria (City Council), key partners in the development and
      implementation of the intervention program. It is expected the partnership with ARS-Centro.

      The main goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of a program for the
      promotion of healthy behaviors and prevention of obesity in adolescence, based on e-therapy
      and sustained by the case management methodology.
    

Detailed description: 
      Transdisciplinary practice-based action research project that aims to develop innovative
      interventions to promote healthy behaviors. Project called from a territorial issue,
      identified and discussed with local stakeholders (health professionals and school community),
      in the absence of an integrated, creative and dynamic strategy of overweight prevention and
      promotion of salutogenic behaviors in adolescents.

      Adolescent obesity has reached epidemic proportions, being urgent to find effective
      prevention strategies and adequate resources that induce change at the individual, family and
      community level. The core components of classic prevention programs have been unable to
      obtain the desired adherence. The solution may involve a more extensive and frequent contact
      with the healthcare team and the use of alternative communication channels and
      interacting/dynamic technologies with adolescents.

      Given the research team's experience in developing innovative products and healthcare
      technological solutions, this need was faced as an opportunity to network and explore
      synergies between territorial partners. The polytechnics of Leiria (IPL), Santarém (IPS) and
      Castelo Branco (IPCB) are co-promotors of this project, as well as the Município de Leiria
      (City Council). It is also expected the partnership with the local primary healthcare
      stakeholders (Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro: ARS-C), key partners in the
      development phase and in the implementation of the intervention program. An agile product
      development process will be adopted, an iterative and incremental approach for planning and
      implementing, in an intense and permanent dialogue with healthcare professionals, and
      adolescents throughout the platform and the mobile app development process.

      The main goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of a program for the
      promotion of healthy behaviors and prevention of obesity in adolescence, based on e-therapy
      and sustained by the case management methodology. The project is directed to the
      cognitive-behavioral empowerment of adolescents, through increased and interactive contact
      between adolescents and multidisciplinary healthcare team. The use of Information and
      Communication Technologies (ICT) in the intervention can optimize resources and maximize
      impact, as a complement to conventional approaches, The project includes the development of
      three complementary studies: (S1) evaluation of adolescents' health status and
      cognitive-behavioral indicators, (S2) usability evaluation of the TeenPower platform and
      mobile app (S3) implementation and adherence evaluation to the TeenPower intervention
      program.

      The positive evaluation of the intervention program will stimulate the inclusion of ICT in
      the promotion of salutogenic behaviors and overweight prevention, creating technological
      interfaces that will allow customizing the intervention parameters and facilitating the
      monitoring and tracking.
    

Intervention name(s): Structured school based intervention; mobile app usage
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Device
Intervention description(s): Intervention includes behavioral, nutritional and physical activity counselling (online and face-to-face psycho-educative sessions).; The e-therapeutic platform and mobile app (TeenPower) includes educational resources, self-monitoring, social support, interactive training modules and motivational tools. In addition to the case manager, the program will also have the direct support of an interdisciplinary team (nurse, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, psychologist among others).
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention