Penza Researchers Develop Tool to Assess Teenagers’ Risk of a Sedentary Lifestyle
The computer program is intended for use in schools.
Researchers at Penza State University have developed a computer program to assess the risk of a sedentary lifestyle among teenagers ages 11 to 17.
The system estimates risk based on several factors, including spending more than six hours a day using digital devices, replacing walks and active play with sedentary activities, and remaining in a static position for extended periods. Each factor is assigned a score of zero or one. The total score indicates whether the risk of developing a sedentary lifestyle is low, moderate, high or very high.
The program is easy to use. Users simply fill out a questionnaire, and the system calculates the results immediately. The scores are not fixed and can change as a teenager’s lifestyle changes. The researchers therefore recommend conducting assessments regularly.
The developers are now proposing that schools begin implementing the program.
