Multi-Modal Digital Interventions for Adolescent Weight Management

Launched by NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY · Apr 2, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a new program that uses technology to help overweight and obese teenagers manage their weight in a healthy way. The program combines digital coaching, interactive sessions, and fun activities to encourage good habits and reduce unhealthy behaviors. By understanding how teenagers think about weight and body image, the researchers hope to find out if this approach can really make a difference in helping them adopt healthier lifestyles.

To participate, teens aged 12-18 who have a higher-than-average body weight (measured by BMI) are invited to join. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the new digital program or a regular health education group. They will take part in sessions twice a month for three months, where they’ll receive personalized feedback and support through a platform called Virti. This study aims to see if the digital program helps more young people choose healthy habits compared to the control group. Parents or guardians will need to give their permission for teens to join, and participants should be comfortable using digital devices.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adolescents aged 12-18 years.
• • Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile according to the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) standards.
• • Willing to participate in a digital intervention for weight control.
• • At least one parent or guardian provides consent for participation.
• • Able to understand and use digital devices (smartphones, tablets, or computers).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Significant communication barriers (e.g., severe speech, hearing, or cognitive impairments).
• • Psychiatric disorders that affect interpersonal interaction (e.g., schizophrenia, severe depression).
• • Previous negative experiences with digital health interventions (VR or AI-based coaching).
• • Severe motion sickness that affects the ability to use VR-based tools.
• • Currently enrolled in another weight management program that may interfere with study outcomes.