Abstract
BackgroundChildhood obesity is a serious public health issue among minority youth in the United States. Technology-enhanced approaches can be effective for promoting healthy behavior change.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to test the usability of prototypes of a Web-based interactive tool promoting healthy dietary behaviors to reduce childhood obesity risk in urban minority youth. The Web-based tool comprised a manga-style comic with interactive features (eg, sound effects, clickable pop-ups), tailored messaging, and goal setting, and was optimized for use on tablet devices.MethodsLatino and black/African American children ages 9 to 13 years were recruited to participate in two rounds of usability testing. A modified think-aloud method was utilized. Self-reported surveys and field notes were collected. Audio recordings and field notes from usability testing sessions were systematically reviewed by extracting and coding user feedback as either positive comments or usability or negative issues. The quantitative data from self-reported questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsTwelve children (four female; eight black/African American) with a mean age of 10.92 (SD 1.16) years participated. Testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the Web-based interactive tool, especially related to storyline, sound effects, and color schemes. Specific usability issues were classified into six themes: appearance, content, special effects, storyline, terminology, and navigation. Changes to the Web-based tool after round 1 included adding a navigation guide, making clickable icons more visible, improving graphic designs, and fixing programming errors. In round 2 of testing (after modifications to the Web-based tool were incorporated), many of the usability issues that were identified in round 1 did not emerge.ConclusionsResults of testing will inform further development and finalization of the tool, which will be tested using a two-group pilot randomized study, with the goal of reducing childhood obesity risk in minority, low-income youth.
Highlights
IntroductionBackgroundChildhood obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge [1]. In the United States, the prevalence of obesity among youth is 18.5% [2]
BackgroundChildhood obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge [1]
This study aims to add to the limited literature related to usability testing of Web-based tools with youth by describing usability testing methods used to evaluate a Web-based tool with urban minority preadolescents
Summary
BackgroundChildhood obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge [1]. In the United States, the prevalence of obesity among youth is 18.5% [2]. Childhood obesity leads to negative health outcomes, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, which can continue through to adulthood [3,4,5] This complex epidemic has been attributed to, among other behaviors, the increased consumption of energy-dense and low-fiber foods [6,7] as well as the reduced consumption of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables [8,9]. Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the usability of prototypes of a Web-based interactive tool promoting healthy dietary behaviors to reduce childhood obesity risk in urban minority youth. Methods: Latino and black/African American children ages 9 to 13 years were recruited to participate in two rounds of usability testing. Conclusions: Results of testing will inform further development and finalization of the tool, which will be tested using a two-group pilot randomized study, with the goal of reducing childhood obesity risk in minority, low-income youth
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