The PEGASO project will use gamification to encourage healthy habits amongst adolescents

Led by the Polytechnic University of Milan and financed as part of the European Union’s FP7 program, the Pegaso, Fit for Future project aims to develop a platform of virtual games to teach healthy life habits. The program has been designed to prevent obesity and the health and social problems associated with it amongst the young population by making them aware of the importance of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle looking into the future. Around 300 adolescents from Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom are expected to take part in the pilot trial.

Using the mechanics of games and group challenges (gamification), the project researchers will seek to change the behaviour of these youngsters by making them aware of the importance of healthier eating. Furthermore, with the use of portable sensors (wearables) the physical parameters of the adolescent users and the environment will be monitored in order to complete the study. The creation of mHealth apps and a virtual community to encourage the social interaction of the participants are also planned. 

Leading role of Catalonia in the project

Although the consortium is led by Italy, around fifteen centres and organisations are driving the Pegaso project. In addition to Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Romania, Catalonia is fully involved in the program.  The Catalan participants particularly include the Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (Catalonia Agency of Healthcare Quality and Evaluation – AQuAS), the Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya (Catalonia Public Healthcare agency – ASPCAT), the University of Lleida and the Barcelona Digital technology Centre. 

AQuAS and ASPCAT will make surveys of adolescents of between 13 and 16 years of age from different schools in Catalonia in order to know their opinion and the use they make of electronic games and the social networks. With this information, a prototype will be made of the system and a pilot trial will be carried out to evaluate its impact and usability. 

As for Barcelona Digital, the Health R&D division will take part in generally defining the system and the integration, and also in developing the system of behaviour recognition.  The University of Lerida, and more specifically the NUTREN-Nutrigenomics group will contribute to defining the nutritional, physiological and healthy lifestyle parameters that will control the system of the Pegaso project. 

Therefore the PEGASO will be developed by a broad ecosystem formed by health authorities, academic and research institutions and the ICT, health sectors, as well as the food industry. 

Further information

PEGASO. Personalised Guidance Services for Optimising lifestyle in teenagers through awareness, motivation and engagement. EU Research Projects, CORDIS [access: 13 May 2014]. Available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/rcn/110906_en.html

Project website: http://pegasof4f.eu/home