Christopher Grieben, Gerrit Stassen and Ingo Froböse
Most young office workers do not reach current guidelines for physical activity (PA) and healthy eating. They find themselves in a critical phase of life which is characterized by changing daily routines and new demands. Web-based interventions are a promising approach aimed at promoting healthy behaviors. Nevertheless, usage and efficacy are often low and short-term. Target group participation is of growing importance to identify expectations and preferences of potential users. Four focus groups were conducted with 36 young office workers (apprentices). The discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed by two researchers following the method of structuring content. Young office workers are looking for health information regarding PA and healthy eating which can be integrated into everyday life. The content should be available in an up-to-date mix of multimedia. Themes for increasing platform usage are: interactivity, regular updates, possibility of documentation, individualization, a calendar option with regular sports events, a location finder and a reminder function to stay motivated. Furthermore, it is also mentioned that smartphone suitability and credibility are basic prerequisites for using a potential intervention. This present study makes an important contribution regarding the conception of future web-based interventions for young office workers.
