Design-led Intervention for Active Behaviour to tackle youth’s sedentary behaviour

Abstract

Physical inactivity has been a predominant cause of major chronic health problems. In 2020 the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued revised guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour 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. It is therefore vital to consider creative ways to promote an active lifestyle to reduce the associated risks. This paper aims to explore how design-led intervention could be applied to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time in the home environment. It also discusses the findings on its effectiveness in regulating the changed behaviour. Data were gathered from 20 households' participants over 90 days of using a novel prototype called the ''Knudgebox,'', where physical activities become a condition to have screen access. The prototype attempted to facilitate self-regulation of being active to reduce sedentary behaviour instead of stimulating a new behaviour change through extrinsic benefits. The results show that an increase in physical activities and a decrease in screen time can be achieved. It identified new behavioural patterns and insight into how design elements affected their determinants in making changed behaviour into self-regulation.

Keywords

• Design for Behaviour Change
• Sedentary Behaviour
• Physical Activity
• Sustainable Behaviour
• Self-Regulation