PACE MySteps: A Web-based Behavior Change Program for Adolescent Weight Loss
An Evidence-Based Practice
This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.
Description
MySteps™ is a four month long program designed for adolescents aged 12 to 16 who are at risk for becoming overweight. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.
The program content is web-based and includes information and activities on key nutrition and physical activity behaviors. The program encourages adolescents to set weight loss (or maintenance) goals, physical fitness goals and provides a platform to track progress. The program’s focus is to promote gradual weight loss and long-term health benefits by guiding users to make sustainable improvements in their eating and physical activity habits. For example, users are encouraged to increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables and fiber, decrease dietary fat consumption, increase total activity and decrease sedentary time. The program strongly encourages pedometer use and provides tools for tracking accumulated steps. Furthermore, MySteps includes a program designed specifically for the parents or guardians of the adolescent user. This portion of the program helps parents and guardians effectively support their child in making healthful changes. The program is designed to last for four months, after which there are tools in the web-based program for ongoing weight loss support.
The program content is web-based and includes information and activities on key nutrition and physical activity behaviors. The program encourages adolescents to set weight loss (or maintenance) goals, physical fitness goals and provides a platform to track progress. The program’s focus is to promote gradual weight loss and long-term health benefits by guiding users to make sustainable improvements in their eating and physical activity habits. For example, users are encouraged to increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables and fiber, decrease dietary fat consumption, increase total activity and decrease sedentary time. The program strongly encourages pedometer use and provides tools for tracking accumulated steps. Furthermore, MySteps includes a program designed specifically for the parents or guardians of the adolescent user. This portion of the program helps parents and guardians effectively support their child in making healthful changes. The program is designed to last for four months, after which there are tools in the web-based program for ongoing weight loss support.
Goal / Mission
To facilitate behavior change among adolescents such that the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors yields weight loss and sustained weight control.
Results / Accomplishments
In a controlled trial, twice as many adolescents that participated in MySteps reduced their BMI scores one year after program initiation compared to a control group of adolescents (approximately 60% versus 30%, p-value <0.05). The higher the frequency of logging in to the program, the better the results: 94% of the top 25% of users reduced their BMI scores at one year.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Santech: Moble Technologies for Behavior Change
Primary Contact
8950 Villa La Jolla Drive
Suite A109
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-4948
info@santechhealth.com
http://www.santechhealth.com/index.html
Suite A109
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-4948
info@santechhealth.com
http://www.santechhealth.com/index.html
Topics
Health / Physical Activity
Health / Children's Health
Health / Children's Health
Organization(s)
Santech: Moble Technologies for Behavior Change
For more details
Target Audience
Teens