Best weight loss apps identified in new study

ZeroDelta

myfitnesspal was rated 9th.

Article: http://www.imedicalapps.com/2015/12/best-weight-loss-apps-study/

Study: http://mhealth.jmir.org/2015/4/e104/

MelodyandBarbells

What a detailed study! I wonder if the authors hope that potential customers will gravitate towards the better apps, or if the popular ones (well MFP was the most popular) would include features they determined to be critical for success

vingogly

Looking at the abstract of the original article, it appears their rating criteria were based on some set of unspecified 14 technological features (presumably integration with things like smart watches), accuracy, and inclusion of behavioral change techniques. I personally don't need the tech features (I have a Fitbit One, already integrated with MFP), will do my behavioral changes on my own, and question the importance of energy measurement accuracy since most of us use scales that provide crude approximations of our weight at best.

I've looked at other apps -- a lot of them have a lot of junk I don't need. MFP is flawed, but for my purposes it's good enough. If you ask a bunch of automotive experts for the best cars to buy, you're going to get a different answer than if you ask your average car buyer. I don't need an accurate research or medical device, I need a tool that will help me with accountability.

brianpperkins

Usability is a very subjective evaluation criteria ... the fact that only a few apps were evaluated by more than one of the researchers is troublesome especially considering that one of the researchers has an admitted conflict at the end of the study and another has a food, but not weight loss, app they've created ... the key "14 technology-enhanced features considered" aren't listed ...

MelodyandBarbells

brianpperkins wrote: »

Usability is a very subjective evaluation criteria ... the fact that only a few apps were evaluated by more than one of the researchers is troublesome especially considering that one of the researchers has an admitted conflict at the end of the study and another has a food, but not weight loss, app they've created ... the key "14 technology-enhanced features considered" aren't listed ...

Figure 5 in the second link does

brianpperkins

JaneiR36 wrote: »

brianpperkins wrote: »

Usability is a very subjective evaluation criteria ... the fact that only a few apps were evaluated by more than one of the researchers is troublesome especially considering that one of the researchers has an admitted conflict at the end of the study and another has a food, but not weight loss, app they've created ... the key "14 technology-enhanced features considered" aren't listed ...

Figure 5 in the second link does

OK ... web links is a factor (at least to the one person assessing the apps according to this study) ... still a pretty subjective study.

starwhisperer6

I love mfp, but I do have to say the phone app is glitchy. So if they are going by apps more than websites then I can easy see their point.

kgeyser

I'm looking at the behavior change techniques in Fig 7, and wondering if the study authors realized that these are phone apps, not your therapist. How is an app going to prevent you from relapsing, or make you feel accountable via behavior contract? People turn off Siri on their phones because they find her too overbearing and annoying, are they going to feel remorse for letting the app down? If I don't log my relapse, did it ever happen?