Digital program to help teens manage weight and healthy habits
Official title: Effectiveness of Multi-Modal Digital Interventions for Adolescent Weight Management: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · NCT06920862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tries a multi-modal digital program—AI coaching, interactive platforms, gamified apps, and real-time feedback—to help overweight teens (ages 12–18, BMI ≥85th percentile) adopt healthier weight-control behaviors and avoid unhealthy practices.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Hsinchu and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 31, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2028 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | September 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06920862 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adolescents aged 12–18 with BMI ≥85th percentile who can use a smartphone, tablet, or computer and whose parent or guardian provides consent are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Those with severe psychiatric disorders, major communication impairments, prior negative experiences with digital health tools, severe motion sickness, or current enrollment in another weight-management program are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial tests a Theory of Planned Behavior–based, multi-modal digital intervention using AI-driven coaching, interactive platforms, gamified apps, and real-time feedback to change attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control among adolescents with overweight or obesity. Adolescents aged 12–18 with BMI at or above the 85th percentile will be randomized to receive the digital intervention or a comparison condition and will provide parental consent. Outcomes include changes in TPB constructs, weight-control intentions, and both healthy and unhealthy weight-control behaviors, with secondary attention to body image and mental health as moderators. The trial is conducted at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University sites in Taipei and Hsinchu and uses digital monitoring and self-report measures to capture behavior and engagement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help overweight adolescents form lasting healthy weight-control habits while reducing risky behaviors like meal skipping, purging, or misuse of diet pills.
How similar studies have gone: Previous TPB-based and some digital interventions have shown promise for improving intentions and behaviors in adolescents, but combining AI-driven coaching, gamification, and real-time feedback in a single multi-modal program is relatively novel and not yet widely proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion 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.
Where it's running
-
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Taipei, Taiwan Recruiting -
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Hsinchu, Taiwan Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Peiching Liu, PhD
- Email: ressyliu@gmail.com
- Phone: 0928528070
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.