WHO projects that globally by 2015 about 2.3 billion adults will be overweight; more than 700 million will be obese -- an epidemic growing fastest in developing countries and leading to diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke.

In rural northern Nigeria, where mobile phone use is now common (use in Nigeria rose almost 1,300% in 2010-11), health researchers led by Sally Akarolo-Anthony will work with a high-tech firm to create a smartphone app to provide a virtual mentor and online buddy system.

The app will compute a user's metabolic rate and caloric requirement, prompt daily exercise, collect data on activity and eating, offer healthy diet tips (e.g. white vs. brown rice), estimate the daily calorie intake required to meet a weight-loss goal, and monitor change over time.

In Bangladesh, although 79% of 12-23 month old children are fully immunized, coverage remains low (42%-60%) in 22 rural hard-to-reach districts and children living in urban streets. In collaboration with local mobile phone companies, this initiative will establish a computerized data base, auto registration and reminder system related to vaccinations for children living in rural hard-to-reach areas as well as the streets of Bangladesh.

The tool created will register every birth electronically, and obtain their location to help ensure that every child is vaccinated, and ultimately help lower under-five illness and deat
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