Nutrition Apps Research Articles

Automated Nutrient Deficiency Detection and Recommendation Systems Using Deep Learning in Nutrition Science

Nutrient deficiencies affect millions globally, contributing to severe health issues and reduced quality of life. Traditional methods of diagnosing these deficiencies and recommending dietary adjustments are often time-intensive, prone to error, and lack personalization. The advent of deep learning has revolutionized nutrition science, offering automated, accurate, and scalable solutions. This paper delves into the development and application of automated nutrient deficiency detection and recommendation systems powered by deep learning. Key components of such systems include advanced data processing techniques that analyze multimodal datasets, such as biomarkers, dietary records, and food images. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) excel in recognizing and quantifying nutrients from food images, while Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) handle time-series dietary data. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) facilitate data augmentation and textual analysis of dietary logs, respectively. These systems enable precise detection of deficiencies and generate tailored dietary plans based on individual needs, considering demographic and lifestyle factors. This article highlights case studies and practical implementations of deep learning models in real-world applications, such as AI-powered nutrition apps and biomarker-based deficiency prediction. It also addresses significant challenges, including data quality, algorithmic bias, and ethical concerns related to privacy and equity. Furthermore, the study explores future opportunities, such as integrating explainable AI, leveraging multi-modal data sources, and enhancing IoT-based tracking devices to improve recommendation systems. By bridging the gap between AI technology and nutrition science, these systems hold the potential to revolutionize global dietary health, offering scalable, personalized, and efficient solutions to combat nutrient deficiencies.

Development of a touchscreen-based nutrition learning tool to promote healthy eating practices among early elderly Thai people

Introduction: In Thailand, rapid demographic ageing is closely linked to an increased incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Effective nutritional management is essential to mitigate NCD risks and delay progression. Given the widespread use of touchscreen devices among older adults, this study focused on developing a nutrition app tailored to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding healthy eating among Thai elderly people. Methods: The project consisted of two main phases, namely content preparation and application development. Initial drafts and storyboards were refined through consultations with experts and discussions. The use of healthy menus was approved by a professional chef and nutritionists. The app prototype underwent comprehensive evaluations in terms of content accuracy, design, usability, and acceptability by experts. It was also field tested by elderly volunteers for four weeks. Results: The developed “YoungYou” app features tools such as body mass index assessment, updates on elderly health, and dietary recommendations tailored to Thai elderly individuals based on the nutrition flag system. It includes 60 healthy recipes, 30 cooking tutorials, and an interactive community board. The app allows users to modify and recalibrate the nutritional content of recipes, which can then be saved or shared. Evaluations of the app showed high levels of agreement on its effectiveness across all metrics. The use of rice, vegetables, and meat by 41 elderly volunteers led to increased healthy eating behaviours. Conclusion: The “YoungYou” app has demonstrated potential as a viable tool for promoting healthier eating habits among Thai elderly people, thereby addressing critical public health issues related to ageing and disease prevention.

Utilizing technology for diet and exercise change in complex chronic conditions across diverse environments (U-DECIDE): feasibility randomised controlled trial

BackgroundDiet and exercise are important components of treatment for complex chronic conditions, however access to allied health support is limited. When available, support is often siloed and fragmented. Digital health incorporating patient choice may help to align health care services with preferences and goals. This study evaluated the implementation of a ubiquitously accessible patient-centred digital health diet and exercise service.MethodsU-DECIDE was a single-centre, 26-week randomised controlled trial set in kidney and liver disease clinics in a tertiary hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Participants were adults with a complex chronic condition referred for dietetic consultation with at least one feature of the metabolic syndrome. All participants received a dietary consultation, an activity monitor and usual care. Intervention participants were offered one text message per week and access to additional digital health options (increased text message frequency, nutrition app, exercise app, group-based diet and/or exercise video consultations). The primary outcome of feasibility was determined by safety (study-related serious adverse events: SRSAEs), recruitment (≥ 50% eligible patients), retention (≥ 70%), exposure uptake (≥ 75% of intervention group had greater access to health professional contact than comparator) and video consultation adherence (≥ 80% attendance). Secondary outcomes included process evaluation metrics and clinical outcomes.ResultsOf 67 participants (intervention n = 33, comparator n = 34), 37 (55%) were men, median (IQR) age was 51 (41–58) years. The most chosen digital health options were the nutrition app (n = 29, 88%) and exercise video consultations (n = 26, 79%). Only one participant chose no additional digital health options. The intervention group had no SRSAEs. The study exceeded targets for recruitment (52%), retention (81%) and exposure uptake (94%). Video consultation adherence was 42%. Engagement across digital health options was inconsistent.ConclusionsDigital health options incorporating patient choice were feasible and can be offered to people with complex chronic disease as a service model option.Trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Trials Register: Trial Registration Number: ACTRN12620001282976. Registered 27th November 2020.

Factors associated with adherence to a public mobile nutritional health intervention: Retrospective cohort study

BackgroundObesity is a global health issue affecting over 2 billion people. Mobile health apps, specifically nutrition apps, have been identified as promising solutions to combat obesity. However, research on adherence to nutrition apps is scarce, especially for publicly available apps without monetary incentives and personal onboarding. Understanding factors associated with adherence is essential to improve the efficacy of these apps. This study aims to identify such factors by analyzing a large dataset of a free and publicly available app (“MySwissFoodPyramid”) that promotes healthy eating through dietary self-monitoring and nutrition literacy delivered via a conversational agent. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 19,805 users who used the app for at least two days between November 2018 and May 2022. Adherence was defined as completing a food diary by tracking dietary intake over a suggested period of three days. Users who finished multiple diaries were considered long-term adherent. The associations between the day and time of installation, tutorial use, reminder use, and conversational agent choice were examined regarding adherence, long-term adherence, and the number of completed diaries. ResultsOverall, 66.8% of included users were adherent, and 8.5% were long-term adherent. Users who started the intervention during the day (5 a.m.–7 p.m.) were more likely to be adherent and completed more diaries. Starting to use the intervention between Sunday and Wednesday was associated with better adherence and a higher number of completed diaries. Users who chose the female conversational agent were more likely to be adherent, long-term adherent, and completed more diaries. Users who skipped the tutorial were less adherent and completed fewer diaries. Users who set a follow-up reminder were more likely to be long-term adherent and completed more diaries. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of digital health interventions to achieve comparably high adherence rates, even without monetary incentives or human-delivered support. It also reveals factors associated with adherence highlighting the importance of app tutorials, customizable reminders, tailored content, and the date and time of user onboarding for improving adherence to mHealth apps. Ultimately, these findings may help improve the effectiveness of digital health interventions in promoting healthy behaviors.

Evaluating the Energy Efficiency of Popular US Smartphone Health Care Apps: Comparative Analysis Study Toward Sustainable Health and Nutrition Apps Practices.

The emergence of smartphones has sparked a transformation across multiple fields, with health care being one of the most notable due to the advent of mobile health (mHealth) apps. As mHealth apps have gained popularity, there is a need to understand their energy consumption patterns as an integral part of the evolving landscape of health care technologies. This study aims to identify the key contributors to elevated energy consumption in mHealth apps and suggest methods for their optimization, addressing a significant void in our comprehension of the energy dynamics at play within mHealth apps. Through quantitative comparative analysis of 10 prominent mHealth apps available on Android platforms within the United States, this study examined factors contributing to high energy consumption. The analysis included descriptive statistics, comparative analysis using ANOVA, and regression analysis to examine how certain factors impact energy use and consumption. Observed energy use variances in mHealth apps stemmed from user interactions, features, and underlying technology. Descriptive analysis revealed variability in app energy consumption (150-310 milliwatt-hours), highlighting the influence of user interaction and app complexity. ANOVA verified these findings, indicating the critical role of engagement and functionality. Regression modeling (energy consumption = β₀ + β₁ × notification frequency + β₂ × GPS use + β₃ × app complexity + ε), with statistically significant P values (notification frequency with a P value of .01, GPS use with a P value of .05, and app complexity with a P value of .03), further quantified these bases' effects on energy use. The observed differences in the energy consumption of dietary apps reaffirm the need for a multidisciplinary approach to bring together app developers, end users, and health care experts to foster improved energy conservation practice while achieving a balance between sustainable practice and user experience. More research is needed to better understand how to scale-up consumer engagement to achieve sustainable development goal 12 on responsible consumption and production.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Mobile Health Apps in Improving Public Health Awareness in Indonesia

This study investigates the effectiveness of mobile health apps in enhancing public health awareness in Indonesia through a quantitative analysis. Using 170 participants, data was collected through surveys to assess mobile health app usage patterns and public health awareness levels. Results indicate that frequent use of mobile health apps is positively associated with higher public health awareness scores. Specifically, fitness tracking and nutrition apps were found to be significantly correlated with increased public health awareness. These findings highlight the potential of mobile health apps as tools for disseminating health information and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health. The study contributes to understanding the role of mobile technology in promoting public health awareness in Indonesia and underscores the importance of targeted interventions tailored to specific health needs and preferences.

Click, Track and Eat: The Power of Nutrition Apps

Nutrition apps enhances the nutrition guidance and suitability in balancing and tracking food intakes. They expand knowledge and awareness about nutrition as well. The modern technologies connect users to have wearable devices and data analytics with motivations, visions and support on their journey towards healthy lifestyles. Instead of hunting through books and contacting nutritionists, you can find all information about healthy lifestyles into single solution and easily assessable platforms.
 As it provides more flexibility, it allows the users to interact at their own ease and make healthier choices by obtaining nutritious recipes and advices, which makes it more convenient and cost effective. In addition, these apps provide users to give real-time feedbacks and guidance, monitor their diet behaviors and physical activities and supplementation information They also facilitate them in weight calculations and calories-tracking to manage their whole diet plans. Furthermore, these offer several healthier activities like exercising and staying hydrated alerts.
 However, nutrition apps have many limitations and challenges; users may consider it time consuming with recent study highlighting that the calorie and fitness tracking may be related to eating disorders [1]. Additionally, another study on eating disorders found that body dissatisfaction and preoccupations with body shape tend to be high in the individuals using nutrition apps [2]. Despite these issues, the accuracy of these app can vary depending on user’s capability to record their food intake.
 Nevertheless, this does not deny the significance of dietary compositions in health and illness prevention and management. Appropriate nutritional intake is crucial to maintain a healthy life, avoid nutrient deficiencies and lower the risk of diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to establish effective methods so that the dietary can be tracked and thus improved. It is equally important to address the concerns related to negative impacts of nutrition apps such as unhealthy eating habits due to overdependence.
 In conclusion, this editorial sheds light on the significance of nutrition apps that provide user-friendly interactions for improving dietary habits. While many of nutrition apps have positively improved user behaviors and diet quality, addressing challenges such as users’ annoyance and disengagements still remains. Looking forward, prioritizing user satisfaction and enhancing functionality is crucial to unlocking the nutrition apps potential for achieving long-term impacts in diet quality and promoting healthier lifestyles.

Healthy Nutrition for Adults With Intellectual Disability: Piloting a Mobile Health Application and Self-Management Intervention.

While there are many benefits to healthy nutrition, adults with intellectual disability often have poor nutrition habits. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the use of a nutrition app and self-management intervention to increase awareness of healthy nutrition choices for adults with intellectual disability. Data was gathered on the effectiveness of the intervention and social validity of intervention components. Through a single-case multiple-baseline across participants design, the mobile nutrition app with self-management intervention was effective in increasing awareness of healthier nutrition items for three adults with an intellectual disability. Future research is needed to replicate and generalize findings, as well as explore additional supports that may be needed for individuals who have more extensive support needs.

Differences in drivers of healthy eating and nutrition app preferences across motivation-based consumer groups

The aim is to explore whether and how different consumer groups, based on health motivations, differ in their drivers to adopt a healthy diet and their preferences for nutrition app properties. Four groups were identified: Health-motivated, Moderately-motivated, Body-motivated and Mind-motivated consumers. All groups are motivated to consume a healthy diet, although the Moderately-motivated less than the other groups. In addition, all groups feel sufficiently able to consume a healthy diet. Most differences were found regarding the perceived opportunity to consume a healthy diet. Although the perceived financial opportunity and the eating context are barriers to all groups, physical opportunity (lack of availability) is only perceived as a problem by the Moderately-motivated group. Worries about data protection is an issue to all groups, except for the Body-motivated group. Finally, social acceptance is not perceived as a barrier. Since different health motivations (e.g. physical health) can be related to different properties of nutrition apps (e.g. positive feedback), differences in app preferences were researched, but groups showed little differences in their preferences. For all groups easy navigation and a complete and reliable food database are important requirements for a nutrition app. In conclusion, this study suggests that consumer groups based on health motivations need different approaches to support them in healthy eating, but there is no clear need to adapt properties of nutrition apps to these groups. In the future, it could be interesting to study app preferences for other types of consumer segments e.g. based on socio-economic status or body mass index.

Gamification preferences in nutrition apps: Toward healthier diets and food choices.

Unhealthy eating habits are costly and can lead to serious diseases such as obesity. Nutrition apps offer a promising approach to improving dietary behavior. Gamification elements (GEs) can motivate users to continue using nutrition apps by making them more enjoyable, which can lead to more positive behavioral changes regarding dietary choices. However, the effects of users' preferences and individual characteristics on gamified systems are not yet understood. Current calls for research suggest that personalized gamified systems might lead to user satisfaction, continuous app use, and-ultimately-long-term improvements in diet. The aim was to determine the most preferred GEs in nutrition apps and to define clusters of GEs preferences in terms of personality and socio-demographic characteristics. We surveyed 308 people to measure their preferences regarding GEs in nutrition apps and applied best-worst scaling to determine the most preferred GEs. Furthermore, we used cluster analysis to identify different user clusters and described them in terms of personality and socio-demographic characteristics. We determine that GEs most favored are goals, progress bars, and coupons. We revealed three distinct user clusters in terms of personality and socio-demographic characteristics. Based on the individual factors of openness and self-perception, we find that significant differences exist between the preferences for leaderboards and coupons. We contribute by shedding light on differences and similarities in GE preferences relating to specific contexts and individual factors, revealing the potential for individualized nutrition apps. Our findings will benefit individuals, app designers, and public health institutions.

Design And Development Of An Android-Based Nutrition Education And Stunting Prevention Information System For Pregnant Women (Case Study Sekotong Community Health Center)

Malnutrition and stunting are serious issues in Indonesia, particularly in Sekotong Subdistrict, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. The prevalence of stunting in this subdistrict reached 94 cases in 2020. This research aims to develop an Android application called Yess Nutrition as a medium for educating pregnant women about nutrition and stunting prevention in Sekotong Subdistrict. The Design Thinking and Personal Extreme Programming methods are employed in the development of this application. The test results show that the application received a mean opinion score of 4.173, indicating good quality and user interface. It is expected that the Yess Nutrition app will enhance the knowledge of pregnant women regarding nutrition and stunting prevention. By leveraging the vast potential of the Android platform, this application has the potential to become an effective educational tool for raising awareness about nutrition and preventing stunting.

Mitigating errors in mobile-based dietary assessments: Effects of a data modification process on the validity of an image-assisted food and nutrition app

ObjectiveMobile nutrition applications (apps) provide a simple way for individuals to record their diet, but the validity and inherent errors need to be carefully evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and clarify the sources of measurement errors of image-assisted mobile nutrition apps. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study with 98 students recruited from School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University. A 3-d nutrient intake record by Formosa Food and Nutrient Recording App (FoodApp) was compared with a 24-h dietary recall (24-HDR). A two-stage data modification process, manual data cleaning, and reanalyzing of prepackaged foods were employed to address inherent errors. Nutrient intake levels obtained by the two methods were compared with the recommended daily intake (DRI), Taiwan. Paired t test, Spearman's correlation coefficients, and Bland–Altman plots were used to assess agreement between the FoodApp and 24-HDR. ResultsManual data cleaning identified 166 food coding errors (12%; stage 1), and 426 food codes with missing micronutrients (32%) were reanalyzed (stage 2). Positive linear trends were observed for total energy and micronutrient intake (all Ptrend < 0.05) after the two stages of data modification, but not for dietary fat, carbohydrates, or vitamin D. There were no statistical differences in mean energy and macronutrient intake between the FoodApp and 24-HDR, and this agreement was confirmed by Bland–Altman plots. Spearman's correlation analyses showed strong to moderate correlations (r = 0.834 ∼ 0.386) between the two methods. Participants’ nutrient intake tended to be lower than the DRI, but no differences in proportions of adequacy/inadequacy for DRI values were observed between the two methods. ConclusionsMitigating errors significantly improved the accuracy of the Formosa FoodApp, indicating its validity and reliability as a self-reporting mobile-based dietary assessment tool. Dietitians and health professionals should be mindful of potential errors associated with self-reporting nutrition apps, and manual data cleaning is vital to obtain reliable nutrient intake data.

App for the prevention of malnutrition in vegan diet

Abstract More and more people are changing their lifestyle to a vegan diet. On the one hand, a vegan diet can help reduce the risk of nutrition-related diseases, but on the other hand, the vegan diet itself poses the risk of malnutrition. Therefore, nutrient intake should be managed and any nutrient interactions should be considered. The aim of this paper is to work out a development strategy for a nutrition app for a vegan diet. With the help of a market analysis, unique selling proposition were identified and regulatory requirements have been determined. It could be shown that there is currently no adequate app that is approved as a medical device, focuses on the vegan diet and considers nutrient interactions. The necessary regulatory requirements could be identified. There are many apps available, but without medical device approval. From the authors' perspective, this would be necessary to ensure a high level of safety and health protection for users.

User Experience Design for Nutrition Information Applications using Design Thinking

A healthy diet serves as one of the aspects of one's fitness and understanding caloric value. The present study aims to design a user experience for mobile nutrition apps using Augmented Reality technology. Solutions are designed using design thinking stages, including empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and testing. Data related to reasons, frustration, goals, and target users are collected at the empathize stage. At the define stage, the empathy map and Personas are created. A prospective user journey map and information architecture are generated in the ideating stage. Wireframe and mockups are generated in the prototype stage. Finally, usability testing (i.e., task scenarios) evaluates the learnability (100%) and efficiency (0.067 goals/sec) aspects, and SUS assesses the satisfaction aspect. The satisfaction aspect score was 85, indicating a high acceptability level, B grade scale, and excellent adjective rating.

Feasibility Evaluation of an Android-based Nutrition App (Dietducate) Among Nutritionists Using the User Version of The Mobile Apps Rating Scale (uMARS)

Online nutrition consultations are one of the strategic measures utilized to address complex nutritional issues. The use of smartphones in Indonesia is on the rise, particularly smartphones with the Android operating system. Indonesia has entered the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, which involves the application of technology in a variety of fields, including the healthcare industry. One application of this technology is the creation of the android application "dietducate." Using the uMARS (End-User Version of The Mobile Apps Rating Scale) method, this study aims to assess the feasibility of the android-based health application "dietducate" for nutritionists. Utilizing the uMARS research method and a 5-point scale, the research design is quantitative. Using a technique of purposive sampling, up to 35 nutritionists were gathered as subjects. The application evaluation was conducted using the uMARS questionnaire. The results indicated that the application quality score was within the acceptable range (4.05 out of 5). The component outcomes are determined by four supporting factors: involvement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. The results of each score are 3.97, 4.03, 4.02, and 4.23, respectively. It can be concluded that nutritionists can utilize the dietducate application. This app is also regarded as user-friendly and efficient for completing nutritionists' work. However, there are too many advertisements and minor bugs that need fixing to optimize app performance.

“My Friend Diabetes Carbohydrate-Bolus Calculator”: User Experiences of a Bolus Calculating Carbohydrate Counting Mobile App for People with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective: Meal management in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) has barriers such as miscalculation of doses, insufficient carbohydrate counting and numeracy skills. “My Friend Diabetes Carbohydrate Bolus Calculator” mobile app was developed as a hybrid version of nutrition apps and insulin titration apps to calculate meal’s carbs and the matching bolus dose. This study investigates facilitator role of the app on lives of people with T1D. Materials and methods: People with T1D or their caregivers were recruited from children diabetes foundation social media accounts, and they answered an online survey which examines the effects of the app on carbohydrate counting, diabetes management, and the usability of the app with 17 Likert-type questions (5-point). Descriptive and non-parametric tests were performed to analyze responses. Results: Of the 165 people who completed the survey, 58 (35.2%) had T1D, 107 (64.8%) had relatives with T1D; 87 (52.7%) participants were female, the mean age was 13.1 ± 8.9 years, and the mean duration of diabetes was 4.72 years. Of the participants, 130 used the app and agreed that the app improved the users’ meal management, diabetes management, carbohydrate, and dose calculations (Mean score = 4.38 ± 0.57). They were more confident in the dose calculation, freer in the food choices, and more confident in diabetes care because of the app (Mean score = 4.46 ± 0.57). Conclusions: ‘’My Friend Diabetes Carbohydrate-Bolus Calculator’’ mobile app improved T1D management. Diabetes teams can reach more people through mobile apps and improve their clinical outcomes.

Nutrition-Related Mobile Application for Daily Dietary Self-Monitoring.

Nutrition apps for mobile devices such as smartphones are becoming more widely available. They can help ease the arduous chore of documenting intake for nutritional assessment and self-monitoring. This allows people to control food intake, support their participation in physical activities, and promote a healthy lifestyle. However, there remains a lack of research regarding systematic analysis mapping studies in this area. The objective of this study is to identify dietary self-monitoring implementation strategies on a mobile application. This study analyzed 205 journals from the Scopus database using the descriptive-analytic method. The records used in this exploration study were those released between 2007 and 2021 that were collected based on the keywords “dietary self-monitoring,” or “nutrition application,” or “nutrition apps,” and “calorie application.” Data analysis was conducted using the VOSviewer and NVivo software analytical tools. The results show that research studies on dietary self-monitoring increased in 2017. Results also indicated that the country that contributed the most to this topic was China. The study on mobile applications for dietary self-monitoring revealed seven clusters of dominant themes: attitude to improved dietary behaviors, parameters for disease diagnosis, noncommunicable diseases, methods, nutrition algorithms, mobile health applications, and body mass index. This study also analyzed research trends by year. The current research trends are about dietary self-monitoring using a mobile application that can upgrade people's lifestyles, enable real-time meal recording and the convenience of automatically calculating the calorie content of foods consumed, and potentially improve the delivery of health behavior modification interventions to large groups of people. The researchers summarized the recent advances in dietary self-monitoring research to shed light on their research frontier, trends, and hot topics through bibliometric analysis and network visualization. These findings may provide valuable guidance for future research and perspectives in this rapidly developing field.

An Evaluation of the Quality of Commercial Nutrition Apps for Cancer Survivors

ObjectivesMobile nutrition apps have the potential to address gaps within the cancer care continuum by providing nutrition education to shape one's knowledge. Few studies evaluate the quality of these cancer nutrition apps and the degree of clinician agreement on app quality. Thus, we investigated the quality of four cancer nutrition apps with knowledge shaping features.MethodsDuring December 2019, an initial search was conducted in the Apple App Store using keywords relevant to cancer and nutrition. Apps were chosen if they provided free cancer-specific nutrition education (i.e., knowledge shaping) regardless of accuracy (e.g., “anti-cancer” foods, recipes) and had a ≥3-star rating. Four apps with knowledge shaping features were evaluated: Eat AntiCancer, Get Well Soon, Untire, and Vegan Soul Belly. Five oncology dietitians used the validated App Quality Evaluation (AQEL) to rate apps in several domains, such as: knowledge shaping (knowledge acquisition, skill development) and app design (functionality, appropriateness for cancer survivorship). Domain scores ranged from 0 -10 (score ≥8 represented high quality). Interclass correlation coefficient (ICCs) analyses determined the interrater reliability between dietitians. An ICC ≥0.90 represented excellent agreement; 0.75 to < 0.90 as good; 0.50 to <0.75 as moderate; and <0.50 as poor. Fixed effects models were used to examine domain score differences between apps, adjusting for the rater. Statistical significance threshold was set at P <0.05.ResultsAll apps had good agreement with AQEL scores among the dietitians (ICC range = 0.75–0.82). When examining differences in AQEL scores among apps, Untire had the highest AQEL scores in the knowledge acquisition (mean: 8.0 ± 1.2; p = 0.02). There were no differences in skill development and app design between the cancer apps (p > 0.05). Only Untire scored highly in the knowledge acquisition, function, and appropriate for cancer survivorship domains (all AQEL ≥8). None of the apps received a high-quality score for skill development (AQEL <8).ConclusionsUntire received high-quality scores for knowledge acquisition and app design. None of the apps scored highly in skill development. Future cancer nutrition apps should consider including effective skill development features to assist with shaping knowledge for behavior change.Funding SourcesNo funding sources.

Consumer Confusion Caused by Nutrition Apps in Product Healthiness Evaluation

Rapid developments in technology and connectedness are influencing how consumers access and use nutrition information. However, this information is not always clear and consistent. The inconsistencies in the information provided to consumers can lead them to uncertainty about which data to use (i.e. consider as correct), especially when different sources of information appear similarly qualified and accurate. This paper aims to highlight the impact of inconsistent information on consumer attitudes. The results of an experiment conducted on a sample of 237 consumers indicate that the inconsistent information, when presented to consumers, influences their attitude in a way that it increases feelings of confusion, leading to lower attitude certainty about the product healthiness.

Evaluating the Adherence of Popular Diet and Nutrition Apps to Evidence-Based Guidelines for Adult Weight Management

ObjectivesTo assess the adherence of popular, commercially available diet and nutrition apps to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Adult Weight Management (AWM) guideline recommendations and to discern associations between the guideline adherence and indicators of the perceived popularity of an app among consumers. MethodsA preliminary search for apps was conducted in Apple App Store and Google Play Store using keywords “diet” and “weight loss” in October 2020. Selection criteria screened to only include calorie-tracking apps with greater than 10 million installations, focused on weight management as a primary outcome. Apps addressing other health outcomes, disease management, or specific dietary approaches were excluded. Selected apps were assessed with iPads using a prescribed 7-day dietary intake and collected data were recorded. ResultsThere were no significant correlations between any of the individual recommendation categories and app metadata attributes (app ratings, installations, subscription cost). Greatest recommendation adherence was observed in those corresponding to nutrition intervention (n = 9 recommendations; 65.9%) and monitoring and evaluation categories (n = 2 recommendations; 75%). ConclusionsPopular, commercially available diet and nutrition apps offer limited adherence to expert guideline recommendations for adult weight management. Funding SourcesThe authors of this article disclose no funding source in support of this work.