Mobile Technology to Improve Physical Activity among School-Aged Children in the United Arab Emirates

World Health Organization reports indicate childhood obesity has reached an epidemic state worldwide. In the United Arab Emirates, 45% of school-aged children are either overweight or obese. Interventional studies to tackle this issue are urgently needed. Researchers have described the childhood and adolescence developmental stages as periods in which habits and skills that persist into adulthood are developed; therefore, this period may be considered a critical time for establishing healthy lifestyles and positive adaptive behaviors (e.g., nutritional behaviors). Currently, most available health, fitness, or lifestyle-related mobile applications are directed to the general population and not tailored to the developing children and adolescent population.