A Context Aware Mobile Application for Physical Activity Promotion

Mobile applications to support physical activity have grown rapidly in the past years. Many users are attracted by the promised support for a healthier lifestyle. Still, the long-term effect of these applications can be doubt. A lack of theoretical foundation from behavior change theory is seen as a root cause for the lack of sustainable effects of these applications. Little is known about design concepts to include theoretical frameworks into application design while using the technological power of mobile technology. Addressing this gap, a concept is developed to include the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change and the Fogg Behavior Model into a mobile application for physical activity promotion. Based on a mobile sensor framework, context information is automatically collected to detect potentials for behavior change. The user is guided through a tailored path of behavior change with context aware persuasive services. The implications of the proposed concept for practice and research are discussed.