biostudies-literatureUnknown3Nguyen RHealthwayNational Health and Medical Research CouncilRebecca L. Cooper Medical Research FoundationDespite education about the risks of excessive sun exposure, teenagers in Australia are sun-seeking, with sunburn common in summer. Conversely, some regular (time-limited) exposure to sunlight (that avoids sunburn) is necessary for vitamin D and healthy bones and other molecules important for immune and metabolic health. New interventions are thus required to better support teenagers to make healthy and balanced decisions about their sun behaviors. This paper describes the development of a prototype online tool-a smartphone app-that aimed to foster safe sun practices in teenagers. We recruited young adolescents (aged 12-13 years, <i>n</i> = 24) as "co-researchers" to provide ongoing input into the nature and design of the online tool. This age group was selected, as it is a critical time wFrontiers in digital health626606https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8521794biostudies-literatureDeveloping an Online Tool to Promote Safe Sun Behaviors With Young Teenagers as Co-researchers.PMC8521794Lucas RMClare IMNguyen RBlack LJWhite JAlvares GAStrickland MJaimangal MGamage NGorman SHart PHfalseDeveloping an Online Tool to Promote Safe Sun Behaviors With Young Teenagers as Co-researchers.Despite education about the risks of excessive sun exposure, teenagers in Australia are sun-seeking, with sunburn common in summer. Conversely, some regular (time-limited) exposure to sunlight (that avoids sunburn) is necessary for vitamin D and healthy bones and other molecules important for immune and metabolic health. New interventions are thus required to better support teenagers to make healthy and balanced decisions about their sun behaviors. This paper describes the development of a prototype online tool-a smartphone app-that aimed to foster safe sun practices in teenagers. We recruited young adolescents (aged 12-13 years, <i>n</i> = 24) as "co-researchers" to provide ongoing input into the nature and design of the online tool. This age group was selected, as it is a critical time w2021-01-01T00:00:00Z20212025-05-18T12:08:40.268Z2025-05-18T12:08:40.268ZS-EPMC85217943471309910.3389/fdgth.2021.626606