For a Human-Centered AI

A pilot project at Fondazione Bruno Kessler in Trento promotes a healthy lifestyle

February 17, 2017

AT, APSS, INAIL and FBK experiment the "Key to Health" project that aims to promote healthy lifestyles in the workplace and to prevent some of the most common chronic issues.

  • According to World Health Organization’s estimates, in 2012 some 38 million people died due to chronic diseases (of which 17.5 million due to cardiovascular disease), accounting for 68% of all deaths recorded
  • The project has been included in the 2015-2018 Provincial Prevention Plan and is conceived as a pilot study aimed at testing a model that could be later on extended to the rest of the Province and on a national scale

Presented this afternoon at FBK in Povo (TN), “Key to Health” is the innovative project which aims to promote healthy lifestyles in the workplace and the prevention of chronic diseases, in particular by acting on nutrition and physical activity.

Starting in April, Fondazione Bruno Kessler will become the testing ground for the project, but the goal is to build a model that can be deployed on other local organizations as well as nationwide.

The main institutions active in the field of health and prevention in the workplace are working on its implementation: the Department for Health and Social Solidarity of the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Operative Unit for Prevention and Safety in the workplace (Uopsal) of the Province Agency for Healthcare Services and INAIL – Trento.

The trial will be possible thanks to “TreCLifeStyle“, A virtual coaching system that will be used by FBK staff – selected on a voluntary basis – for about six months. “TreCLifeStyle” is a mobile application developed by Fondazione Bruno Kessler, which, combined with other actions, like support by health professionals, or actions on the cafeteria, and the involvement of the FBK social club, will follow users in a program to reduce existing risks or to prevent the onset of disease through an informed change in lifestyle.

Investing on human health” – said FBK President Francesco Profumo during his speech – “also means enhancing and preserving the set of knowledge, skills, abilities and relationships that represent the asset of a research and study center such as FBK”.

An initiative that has the full endorsement of the Councillor for Health of the Autonomous Province of Trento. “Maybe” – Luca Zeni comments “The “key” that this initiative seeks may lie precisely in the concept of health. In other words: each of us should adopt healthy lifestyles for our own well-being, but also as a sense of responsibility toward others. ”

Presentation of the technology used: TreCLifeStyle

FBK staff involved in “Key To Health” will be supported, for the duration of the project, by TreCLifeStyle, a virtual coaching tool that will support users to achieve their goals and, more generally, to change their lifestyle. The TreCLifeStyle tool is based on an App and on a Web interface that interact with the virtual coaching platform able to detect correct and incorrect user behavior. The events that will be monitored to detect user behavior are, for example, the meals that the user enters in a food log included in the App and physical activity detectable thanks to wearable sensors (such as the pedometer bracelet). The App will generate persuasive and motivational messages that will allow users to receive information about the amount of calories consumed during each meal, to check physical activity during the day, meet the challenges to achieve certain goals and receive personalized recommendations.

Build an organization attentive to well-being

In addition to technological actions, the “Key to Health” project also includes a set of professional and organizational actions targeting all workers of the company. First, workers at risk, after an initial assessment conducted by the occupational health physician, will be assisted by him and by a counseling service, important to support the person in a lifestyle improvement program. At the same time, initiatives will be organized in order to inform FBK employees of the importance of nutrition and physical activity in risk reduction.

In particular, Fondazione Bruno Kessler’s High Impact Area Health and Wellbeing (Center for Information and Communication Technology) will coordinate operations and scientific aspects of the “Key to Health” project. Moreover, the FBK Human Resources Service is fielding their professionalism with a view to widening the space devoted to corporate welfare, from organizational welfare to welfare of the individuals. The orientation of the Foundation is in fact to have an active and motivating role in the context of a project that is participatory (involvement of all concerned players), shared (collective bargaining and guidelines) and regulated.

The Province Agency for Healthcare Services (APSS), and in particular UOPSAL (Task Force on prevention and safety at the workplace), will provide support to the FBK occupational health physician and counseling service, will participate in the progress monitoring of the project and in the discussion of its results, will organize dissemination activities in the local community and will create an extensible model for other organizations. INAIL (National Institute for Work-related Accident Insurance) and the Autonomous Province of Trento will oversee the progress of the project and the discussion of its results, as well as the organization of dissemination activities in the local area.

The project results will be disseminated in the local community and in the scientific community, with the aim to promote the circulation and increase the existing knowledge of the concept of health promotion in occupational contexts (Workplace Health Promotion or WHP).

WHP assumes that a company should not only implement all measures needed to prevent accidents and occupational diseases, but should also commit to offering its employees opportunities to improve their health, while reducing overall risk factors and especially those involved in the genesis of chronic disease. (m.l.)

 

NOTE fot TV corporations:

In the video report – conducted by the PAT Press Office – you will find also the interviews with Luca Zeni (PAT), Francesco Profumo (FBK) and Paolo Bordon (APSS)

Photos of the meeting are available at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0wlprCM4xKHR0E5OFBuQUw2eU0?usp=sharing

For further info:

– Follow the link to the “Key to Health” project:

https://sites.google.com/fbk.eu/keytohealth

– Follow the link to the “TreCLifeStyle” App video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ6T3172P3g

 


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