The Most Popular Smartphone Apps for Weight Loss: A Quality Assessment
JMIR mhealth and uhealthPublished 16 December 2015Open access
Juliana Chen, Janet Cade, Margaret Allman‐Farinelli
Citations239
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.79
SNIP1.86
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TL;DR
The most popular commercial apps for weight management are suboptimal in quality, given the inadequate scientific coverage and accuracy of weight-related information, and the relative absence of BCTs across the apps reviewed.
Abstract
Overall, the most popular commercial apps for weight management are suboptimal in quality, given the inadequate scientific coverage and accuracy of weight-related information, and the relative absence of BCTs across the apps reviewed. With the limited regulatory oversight around the quality of these types of apps, this evaluation provides clinicians and consumers an informed view of the highest-quality apps in the current popular app pool appropriate for recommendation and uptake. Further research is necessary to assess the effectiveness of apps for weight management.
Keywords
PsychologyMedicineHealth Professions
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