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Weight-loss Apps: Analyzing their Vulnerability
 In a market flooded with applications (apps)
to help women keep a track of their health status- diet, exercise and
fitness level. It is important to take note that the right fitness
app can give you the boost you need to get through your workouts,
but the wrong one can leave you frustrated. A new study reported in the
American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that digitally-based approaches
to weight
loss may not be as successful as
old-school diet and exercise ( Apps in the top 100 paid and top 100 free “health
and fitness” categories of iTunes and the Android Market were covered. Data on
available apps were collected in January 2012; data were analyzed in June
2012.). Apps that included
weight, diet, and physical
activity self-monitoring were
included in the present study. The
scientists compared the 30 most popular weight loss apps (both free and paid) on
iTunes and the Android Market to 20 behavior-based strategies like portion
control, problem solving to figure out why people over eat, and stress
reduction. Of the 30 apps, 28 included 25% or fewer of these lifestyle-based
strategies.
Two mobile apps had the highest percentage of criteria met, namely,
MyNetDiary(free) and MyNetDiary Pro (paid), both of which included 20%
of behavioral strategies.
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Drawbacks - Get Ready to face them
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Exercise Duration: Most apps let users set a weight-loss
goal and a calorie
goal — two strategies also
used in the evidence-based program. However, only 20 percent of apps told
users how many days or minutes they should exercise weekly. Only 20% of
mobile apps gave users a specific physical activity goal in terms of days or
minutes per week.
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Interpretation of nutritional labels: None of the apps covered in
the study helped users to interpret nutritional labels. 86.7% of the apps
allowed users to view their net calories (i.e., energy consumption minus
energy expenditure)
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No added Benefits: The study also found that paid apps (i.e.,
not free apps) included about the same number of evidence-based strategies
as free apps did.
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Inadequate Motivation: The apps generally came up short in
helping to motivate people
to stick to the program. For example, the evidence-based weight-loss
program teaches people to identify factors that trigger them to slip from
healthy eating, as well as how to incorporate exercise into their schedule,
but none of the apps included these strategies.
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 Stress factor, left out: Stress
and weight gain (or lack of weight loss) go hand in hand. Being under
constant stress can increase production of the hormone cortisol which can
cause an increase in appetite as
well as extra fat storage around the abdominal region--if left ignored can
interfere in successful weight loss.
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No scope for Relapse Prevention: Relapse
is a process that begins when you start slipping back into old behaviour
patterns. A relapse begins long before you take your first taboo go. Recovery
is not easy and involves finding new ways of taking care of yourself, and
new ways of acting with friends, with family, and at work. We
all know that exercise is an essential part of managing our weight and our
health. But for some of us, it's a constant challenge? Starting a weight
loss & fitness program is easy (just like quitting smoking, most of us have
done it a thousand times!) -- it's staying with it that proves trickier.
With apps this facility is left out.
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Time Management: To
stay on your training and nutrition regimen is definitely going to involve
some sound time management skills, a key factor ignored in the health mobile
apps. Use a schedule book or monthly calendar and "make appointments" for
ALL your workouts for the next six weeks well in advance. Then, paste a copy
where you will be forced to look at it every day. This is a powerful
exercise that will keep you focused and force you to think about and prepare
for each upcoming workout.
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Negative Thinking: Apps
do not cover the emotional aspect, but those on weight loss need to
understand the significance of positive thinking.
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Tips on developing a Regular Eating Pattern: Tips
on developing a regular eating
pattern are essential.
Regular meals not only help to keep your blood sugar level steady, they also
help protect your stomach from too much acid and ensure that there is a
regular flow of food through the bowel.
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Social cues: By
working out with a friend or a group of friends. Just like a football team,
you are more likely to stick it out if teammate (s) is encouraging you to
"just do it." Swapping gym tips with your workout friend after you finish
gives you a reason to visit the gym again next day. Develop a supportive
network of caring people around you. Feeling alone or apart from others
builds stress. Being in touch and talking to others reduces it. Family,
friends and self-help sponsors can help.
Health mobile apps can provide a support system but cannot be completely relied
on for weight loss assistance.
Ref:
Dated 10 October 2013
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