This document summarizes the findings of a study on the perceived effectiveness of diet and physical activity apps. The study found that app users reported that these apps influenced their eating and physical activity actions, self-assessment and motivation levels, nutritional and fitness knowledge, and social lives. Specifically, apps were perceived to help users maintain healthy diets and exercise more. The conclusion states that tailoring apps more to individual needs could make diet and physical activity apps even more effective in the future.

1. DIET AND PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY APPS
PRESENTED BY:
YUMNA ALI

2.  Children and young people's participation in physical activity is
important for their healthy growth and development. It can reduce
the risk of chronic conditions (for example, obesity) and improve
their general health and wellbeing.
 Current guidelines recommend that children and young people
should do a minimum of 60 minutes of at least moderate-intensity
physical activity each day. At least twice a week, this should include
activities to improve bone health (weight-bearing activities that
produce high physical stresses on the bones, such as running and
jumping), muscle strength and flexibility (DH 2004).

3.  The best way to encourage children and young
people to be physically active may differ according
to their age, developmental stage, culture and
gender. For example, improving their physical
skills and general ability to participate may make
physical activity more enjoyable. It may also help
increase their activity levels throughout childhood
and into adulthood.

4.  We spend too much time staring at our phones—just ask
the pedestrians we almost walk into on a daily basis. If
scrolling through your Newsfeed or swiping right were
Olympic sports, we’d definitely take home a medal. But
in reality, the only things getting a workout in either case
are our thumbs. That’s not to say your phone can’t help
you lead a healthier, happier life. You just need to know
the right apps to download.

6.  Fooducate
 Foodcuate makes grocery shopping
surprisingly fun. Open the app, scan
barcodes, and get a quick read on how
healthy each item is. It also tracks sleep,
mood, and hunger levels. Then
Fooducate analyzes all of the
information and provides feedback to
help you meet your health and fitness
goals. (Free with optional in-app
purchases; iOS and Android)

7.  DietBet
 Just like its name implies, this app forces you to put your money
where your mouth is and show you’re not full of hot air when it
comes to your weight-loss goals. Users enter into a challenge
where they can bet they’ll lose either 4 percent of their weight in
four weeks or 10 percent of their weight in six months. Progress
is monitored by DietBet’s referees, and the pot is then split
between everyone in your group who makes their goal weight.
(Free to download, $25-$25 per bet; iOS and Android)

8.  mySugar
 Most of us can’t remember what we had for lunch
yesterday, but diabetics don’t have the luxury of
not paying attention to their food and how it affects
their blood glucose levels. It’s very tricky to keep
mental notes, and a pen and paper just doesn’t
measure up to the tracking capabilities of this app.
Wonder why certain days you feel crummier than
others? mySugr can be your diabetes detective to
determine the foods you need to cut back on.
(Free with optional in-app
purchases; iOS and Android

9.  Zombies, Run!
 Running becomes way more fun when each step gets you
closer to carrying out your mission, collecting materials for
your base camp, and keeping humans safe from the zombie
apocalypse. There’s a reason this game became the highest-
grossing health and fitness app on iTunes in just two
weeks—even though it’s free to download, you’ll start
shelling out money like you do for Candy Crush. Except this
game helps you get your sweat on. (Free with optional in-app
purchases; iOS and Android)

10.  Fitnet
 Fitnet is the workout app for people who can’t carve
out time to go to the gym. The app features an
abundance of five- and seven-minute targeted
workouts, so you don’t have to sacrifice time with
your friends and family to achieve your fitness goals.
Plus, the app uses your phone’s camera for a whole
new kind of selfie—this one measures how closely
you follow the moves shown on the screen. (Free
with optional in-app purchases; iOSand Android

11. DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY APPS –
Perceived effectiveness by apps
Prepared By Noman Khattak & Yumna Ali
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2016 AprJun;
4(2): e33. 10.2196/mhealth.5114 PMCID: PMC4840256

12. INTRODUCTION
 Diet and physical activity apps are two
types of health apps that aim to promote
healthy eating and energy expenditure
through monitoring of dietary intake and
physical activity.
 No clear evidence showing the
effectiveness of using these apps to
promote healthy eating and physical
activity has been previously reported.

13.  Studies on diet and PA apps have
evaluated the content of these apps
and whether they were guided by
relevant theory, or followed nutritional
recommendations.
 More research and evaluation is
needed to show the perceived
effectiveness of using these apps on
healthy eating or increase in PA

14. Hypothesis
 This study aimed to identify how diet
and physical activity (PA) apps
affected their users. It also
investigated if using apps was
associated with changes in diet and
Physical Activity.

15. Methods
 Focus group discussions concerning app
usability including outcome measures
such as motivations, experiences,
opinions.
 Results from the discussions were used
to develop a questionnaire.
 The questionnaire, which contained
questions about behavior changes, app
usage, perceived effectiveness, and
opinions of app usability.

16. Goals for using diet apps
The goals for using
diet apps were
categorized into 4
types:
 to track food intake
 to facilitate weight
loss
 To be healthy
 and other goals.

17. Goals for using physical activity
apps
The goals for using
PA apps were
categorized into 4
types:
 to track Physical
Activity,
 to do more Physical
Activity
 to facilitate weight
loss
 and other goals

18. Analysis
The perceived effectiveness of using apps was categorized into
 effective,
 not effective,
 and do not know.
The behavior changes were summarized into 4 categories
 maintain,
 develop,
 give up,
 or never have the behavior
Food and health concern scores were calculated and participants were
divided into 2 groups (high or low food, and health concern).
Weight status (underweight, normal, overweight, or obese) was
categorized based on body mass index (BMI) calculations from the
questionnaire data.

19. Results

20. Results

22. Diet and Physical Activity Apps:
Perceived Effectiveness by App
Users
USER
Influence on Action:
Eating Action
Physical Activity
Action
Influence on Social
Life :
Evaluation from others
Expand Social
Network
Influence on self-assessment
and consciousness:
Confidence
Awareness
Motivation
Influence on Self
Education: Nutritional and
Physical Activity
Knowledge and
Experience

23. Users Comment on Apps
effectiveness
 The app told me if I ate too few carbs relative to fat or protein
intake. Female, 21 years
 I have used an exercise app to get an overview of my activity.
I used it to get some graphs and so on. It was motivating.
Male, 24 years
 You get inspiration, information, [and] motivation to make
healthier choices and confirmation that you have made the
right choices, and guidance and tips about new food.
Female, 19 years

24. CONCLUSION
 App usage influenced action,
consciousness, self education about
nutrition and PA, and social life.
 It facilitated maintaining a healthy diet
and exercising more.
 Diet and PA apps of the future can be
further strengthened by being tailored to
meet personal needs.

25.  The PSQCA Act 1996 of the
Parliament empowers Pakistan
Standards & Quality Control Authority,
as National Standard Body of Pakistan
under the administrative control of
Ministry of Science & Technology.

26. http://psqca.com.pk/test2/index.html