Research Summary
Behaviors which may positively or negatively influence the energy balance (physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet/nutrition) are central to the etiology and progression of obesity-related diseases and present opportunities for tailored and sustained behavioral intervention for chronic disease prevention and management. The PAWS Lab aims to develop personalized and adaptive lifestyle interventions to promote energy balance in real-world contexts utilizing data from mobile devices, wearable sensors and biosensors. In the field of behavioral science, real-time assessment strategies represent a progression towards not only the collection of more ecologically valid data but also the ability to develop and deliver just-in-time interventions at critical decision points.
The PAWS Lab research areas include the use of wearable sensors and mobile technologies to (1) assess daily physical activity and sedentary behavior, along with contextual factors that might influence decisions to engage in those behaviors; (2) link daily behavioral patterns with downstream impacts on cancer and cardiovascular diseases-related risks; and (3) improve behavior change theories in the age of mobile technology-enhanced (mHealth) interventions.
