The My Fitness Pal app provides a free and easy to use tool for tracking food intake and calories. It has a large database of over 765,000 food items that can be scanned or searched. Studies have shown that regularly tracking food intake, as the app allows, can help people lose weight and meet health goals. While not a replacement for individualized nutrition advice, the app gives users feedback to modify their diet and stay accountable.

1. My Fitness Pal App By: Stacy Albert

2. Designed for people who: Are on the go Want to track their food intake for purposes of losing weight Want to track their food intake for purposes of ensuring healthier eating habits Purpose of Tool

3. It is free to use Just require log in information Easy to use Certain food items can be scanned right from your phone Don’t require a lot of time Repetitive foods are stored so you don’t have to keep inputting the same information Explanation to Patients

4. Provides support and motivation Members have access to blogs and discussion boards from other members Easily accessible Use the tool right from your phone Large food database including over 765, 000 items Including items from popular fast food chains Explanations of Patients Cont.

5. Contacted “My Fitness Pal” via email for information regarding the history/development of its site and I did not get a response back. History/Development of Tool

6. People who track their diets have a vested interest in their goal and are more likely to follow through to accomplish their goal.1 These goals can include: Losing weight Eating healthier Goals are even more accomplishable when the tools utilized are accessible, inexpensive, and easy to use.3 Plausible Mechanism

7. “My Fitness Pal” is a relatively safe online tool There are no known adverse effects to using this tool However, due to lack of professional nutritional advice and/or lack of knowledge by the member, unrealistic goals can be made. This can lead to frustration by the member of the online tool. Safety of Use

8. “My fitness Pal” markets its efficacy primarily on member testimonials This is a good approach because a potential member can get an idea of the usefulness and success of the online tool before committing to using it. In addition, there is a message board that is constantly being updated by its member This gives other members feedback on how other members are doing and also offer tips and recipes that may be helpful to others Marketing Tools

9. Study published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1 Included 1685 overweight adults, all >25 years of age Length of study: 6 months Participants were encourage to eat healthy and be active as much as possible At the end of the 6 months, results showed that participants lost an average of 13 pounds Literature Review

10. Those who kept food records at least six days a week and wrote down everything they consumed (food and drink), lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records only one day a week or less. These results shows that food tracking can indeed facilitate weight loss Accountability and being mindful of where extra calories are coming from are both huge factors in why food tracking works for some people. Literature Review Conclusion.

11. “My Fitness Pal” app can be a beneficial tool when used by someone who is looking to lose weight or just looking to eat healthier. Its free to use and is designed for people with busy schedules. When used correctly this tool can provide valuable information regarding macro and micronutrient intake and how to modify ones diet to meet standardized and/or customized requirements. Although not as thorough and complete as some other online tools, it is sufficient for those who are on the go and want to monitor their food intake. Conclusion

12. 1. Hollis, J., Gullion, C., Stevens, V., Brantley, P., Appel, L., Ard, J., et al. (2008). Weight Loss During the Intensive Intervention Phase of the Weight-Loss Maintenance Trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 118-126. 2. Lee, R. D. (2007). Nutritional Assessment. New York City: McGraw-Hill. 3. Lewis, K., & Burton-Freeman, B. (2010). The Role of Innovation and Technology in Meeting Individual Nutritional Needs. the American Institute of Nutrition. References