On11: an activity recommendation application to mitigate sedentary lifestyle

Abstract

Sedentary lifestyles have become ubiquitous in modern societies. Sitting, watching television and using the computer are sedentary behaviors that are now common worldwide. Research studies have shown that how often and how long a person is sedentary is linked with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Effective strategies for motivating people to become more active are now crucial. In this paper, we present a smartphone application called 'On11', which runs in the background of users' smartphones and monitors their daily physical activity continuously. Unlike traditional pedometers that only passively count steps and estimate burnt calories, On11 also detects sedentary behaviors (sitting, lying down). It presents 'at-a-glance' summaries of what percentage of the user's day have been spent sitting, walking, and running, and total calories burnt thus far that day so that the user can self-reflect. It records the intensity, duration, and type of activities performed and recommends personalized short walks and detours to users' regular routes such as home to workplace. The user can set performance goals, which allows On11 to suggest activities to help them meet their goals. The results of our preliminary user study were encouraging.