P2.199: Prescribing Beats: QR-Coded Playlists to Boost Physical Activity in Clinic Patients

Purpose/Objectives: Pediatric obesity is recognized as a major contributor to the burden of chronic diseases. Substantial evidence shows that physical activity improves body composition, decreases cardiovascular disease risk, and is a preferred treatment for fatty liver disease and prediabetes. Paterson is an underserved area impacted by social determinants of health (SDOH). The recent health needs assessment report showed an increase in childhood obesity due to factors such as lack of safe recreational space, low socio-economic status and limited accessibility to healthy food. To overcome these barriers, we developed QR code-enabled exercise videos for at-home workouts to boost physical activity in our pediatric patients.

Design/Methods: After obtaining institutional approval, we developed handouts with QR codes linking to exercise videos—organized into age-appropriate playlists and available in both English and Spanish. These videos were distributed to patients with BMI above 85th percentile. Pre-intervention surveys were distributed to gather baseline data on exercise habits including frequency, duration, and satisfaction of activity levels, neighborhood safety and accessibility to healthy food. 160 patients received the exercise videos. During follow up visits, post-intervention surveys were obtained to assess preliminary changes in exercise habits, satisfaction with activity levels, the feasibility/easy use of the QR coded exercise videos, and motivation for continued use.

Results: The QR code-enabled exercise videos were generally well-received by pediatric patients, with 92% expressing an intention to continue using them and 80% finding them easy to use. While the intervention did not result in statistically significant changes in physical activity frequency levels (p-value 0.33), positive trends were observed. There was an overall shift towards more frequent exercise post-intervention, with more participants exercising at least 1-2 times per week (Table 1) and increased number of participants exercising 3 or more times per week as compared to participants who did not exercise at all prior to the intervention. Additionally, the number of participants exercising up to 30 minutes increased from 10 to 17 post-intervention. This suggests that the intervention had a positive impact on increasing exercise frequency and also motivation to exercise among participants.

Conclusion/Discussion: The favorable reception of the QR code-enabled exercise videos suggest that digital exercise resources can be a valuable tool for promoting physical activity. Motivation, however, remains a key factor in sustaining exercise. To address this, next steps would include implementing a mindfulness-based approach to enhance intrinsic motivation. One limitation of the study was the small sample size used for the post survey during preliminary data collection, which may have affected the clinical significance. As further post-intervention data becomes available, we hope to assess changes in BMI, blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia. Overall, this initiative demonstrated an innovative approach to address a significant public health issue through accessible and engaging means.