JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting

Adolescents’ high engagement with smartphones creates opportunities for mobile health (mHealth) apps targeting dietary behaviors. However, despite the availability of diverse dietary mHealth apps, user engagement remains low. Existing quantitative literature has identified barriers and facilitators to app effectiveness in youth (aged 10-19 years) but has not fully captured the nuanced perceptions of adolescents (aged 12-19 years), who represent a unique life stage. Synthesizing similarities and differences in adolescents’ perceptions of what they value in dietary mHealth apps from qualitative studies may provide a more comprehensive understanding of app engagement and future app design.

An important strategy to decrease infant morbidity and mortality is timely initiation of breastfeeding (TIBF), which is defined as putting the newborn to the breast within 1 hour of delivery. Delayed initiation of breastfeeding may contribute to high neonatal and infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

Research indicates that social media platforms play an important role in disseminating health information. Mothers, in particular, frequently seek guidance on child health through digital resources. Given the growing demand for health-related content, it is necessary to understand how these tools contribute to maternal health education, especially regarding the ability to interpret and apply health information.

Positional cranial deformities are common in infancy. Smartphone-based apps are increasingly used to assess infant head shape, but evidence comparing these tools with 3D scanners across age groups in community-based settings remains limited.

Adolescent nicotine use initiation remains a significant public health concern. While screen-based behaviors have been linked to substance use, few prospective studies have examined specific forms of interactive screen engagement or tested potential psychological mechanisms underlying this association.

Postpartum psychological distress, ranging from transient mood and anxiety disturbances to full-syndrome postpartum depression, is prevalent. Many postpartum individuals lack access to evidence-based interventions due to stigma and insufficient provider availability. The treatment gap is particularly pronounced among historically marginalized groups, including Black, Hispanic/Latina, and low-income mothers. Digital health interventions offer support to address this.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is common among adolescents with depressive disorders and is associated with substantial clinical burden. Machine learning may assist in identifying multidimensional patterns associated with NSSI, although its incremental value beyond direct clinical assessment remains uncertain.

The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) has achieved global implementation across 35 countries in more than 20 language versions. However, its psychometric properties for children with physical disabilities remain unverified.

Screen time (ST) is the time spent using screen-based devices and has become a global health concern. Excessive ST negatively impacts children’s health and development; however, it has been increasing dramatically among young children. Parents are the primary caregivers responsible for monitoring children’s ST. Therefore, identifying potential barriers and their attributes is fundamental to taking early action.

Despite the benefits of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), many eligible children remain unenrolled.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is a safe and effective treatment for adolescents with severe obesity, yet no standardized lifestyle interventions exist to support sustained behavior change after MBS.

Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with increased risks of neonatal morbidity, developmental delays, and long-term health problems. Although baby massages have been shown to improve growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in LBW infants, access to suitable training and adherence to massage protocols remain challenging, particularly in low-resource settings. Mobile health interventions may help address these gaps by providing scalable and standardized education on infant massage.