Design-Led Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Young People

Abstract

Physical inactivity has been a predominant cause of major chronic health problems. In 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued revised guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior for children to encourage a more active lifestyle. However, due to the growing trends of digital culture, children at a young age are exposed to increased screen-related sedentary activities. We add to this endeavor by considering creative ways to promote an active lifestyle to reduce the risks associated this. In this paper we report on a design-led intervention that was applied to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time in the home environment. We also discuss the effectiveness of this intervention on regulating changed behavior. Data were gathered from 20 households’ participants over 12 weeks using a novel prototype called the Knudgebox. This is a program where physical activities are a condition to have screen access. This prototype was designed to facilitate active self-regulation to reduce sedentary behavior instead of stimulating a new behavior change through extrinsic benefits. Our results show that an increase in physical activities and a decrease in screen time can be achieved using the Knudgebox. We identified new behavioral patterns and insights regarding how design elements affected their determinants in taking changed behavior from triggered to self-regulation.