Time2bHealthy
Client - Child Obesity Research Centre, University of Wollongong
2007 - 2008
Time2bHealthy is a 9-week online program for parents with preschool children that are overweight, or at risk of becoming overweight.
The program has 5 modules, each one has information and activities related to a different aspect of building and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle.
Groups of parents go through the program together, this allows them to share knowledge and techniques.
The Brief
Researchers from the Child Obesity Research Centre came to us with an existing face-to-face program they wanted to translate into an online format. The site will allow them to reach a larger number of parents, as well as gather more information for their continuing research.
Screenshots
A section of a goal setting page.
The online notebook and one of the colourful vegetable characters.
One of the many activities in the program.
Part of an example "weekly planner" activity.
Features
- Brightly coloured and "vegetable characters"
- Forum for communication
- Notebook available throughout site
- Online "weekly planner" used to explore types of activities
- Goal setting and review system
The site is designed to be a relaxed learning environment with a bright, colourful atmosphere that includes different "vegetable characters" for each module.
An online forum allows the parents to communicate with each other throughout the program. Each module has links embedded to forum threads designed to stimulate conversation and reinforce what is being learnt.
The online notebook is available on every page and parents are encouraged to take notes about what they are learning.
There is a "weekly planner", a kind of timetable, which parents firstly fill-in with the activities their child regularly does. As they move through the program they use "highlighter" tools to explore the different types of activities in their planner, and how the time might be better used.
At the end of each module parents are encouraged to set two structured goals based on the module's content. An assigned health professional reviews the goals and responds to the participant, who can then review their goals and make any changes.