title: Texting for health: the use of participatory methods to develop healthy lifestyle messages for teens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and test messages and a mobile phone delivery protocol designed to influence the nutrition and physical activity knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine focus groups, 4 classroom discussions, and an 8-week pilot study exploring message content, format, origin, and message delivery were conducted over 12 months using a multistage, youth-participatory approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Youth programs at 11 locations in Arizona.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recruitment was coordinated through youth educators and leaders. Eligible teens were 12-18 years old and enrolled in youth programs between fall 2009 and 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent preferences for messages and delivery of messages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data analysis procedures to generate themes from field notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seventy-seven adolescents participated in focus groups (n = 59), discussions (n = 86), and a pilot study (n = 32). Youth preferred messages with an active voice that referenced teens and recommended specific, achievable behaviors; messages should come from nutrition professionals delivered as a text message, at a frequency of ≤ 2 messages/day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 300 messages and a delivery protocol were successfully developed and tested in partnership with adolescents. Future research should address scalability of texting interventions; explore dose associated with changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors; and offer customized message subscription options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. hinglem@u.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hingle
authors.forename: Mimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nichter
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grace
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001130:Arizona; D002648:Child; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D060145:Text Messaging