Application of Innovative Technologies in the Prevention and Treatment of Overweight in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Internet and other technology-based interventions have increasingly been developed and evaluated for behavior change. Recently, two review papers have been published evaluating Web- or computer-based interventions for chronic disease compared with non-Web-based or no-treatment controls (Wantland, Portillo, Holzemer, Slaughter, & McGhee, 2004; Murray, Burns, See, Lai, & Nazareth, 2005). One review of 24 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) pooled across 3,000 child and adult participants, found that interactive health communication applications (e.g., computer or Internet-based packages that combine health information with social, decision, or behavior change support) had significantly positive effects on changing patient knowledge, perceived social support, and key behavioral and clinical outcomes when compared with non-Web-based control programs (Murray et al.). Effect sizes in the meta-analytic review ranged from −.01 to.75, but results were more favorable for patients assigned to the Web-based interventions compared with control groups. The reviews included several interventions developed for pediatric chronic illnesses, such as asthma self-management and type-I diabetes. Because these reviews compared Web-based programs to non-Web-based interventions or controls, they do not enable much delineation of the components of such programs that lead to greater efficacy. In fact, few hypotheses about the way in which these technologies are best developed or applied have been explicitly tested, but to date, most of the research on using technology for child or adolescent overweight suggests initial feasibility with some limited outcome evaluations.Children and adolescents are increasingly exposed to a wide variety of technologies at younger ages than in prior decades. Technologies that are commonly used by this age group include computers, mobile phones, portable music players, video and portable electronic games, TV, and others. This chapter will review and discuss promising directions for using technology with children and adolescents with a particular focus on application of prevention or treatment of overweight.