Barriers to and Facilitators for Using Nutrition Apps: Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework

• DOI: 10.2196/20037
• Publication Date: 2021-07-13T14:18:14Z
• Authors: Laura Maria König; Christiane Attig; Thomas Franke; Britta Renner
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 501002 Angewandte Psychologie; info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/150; digital health; Information technology; Review; T58.5-58.64; nutrition apps; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; usage barriers; 0302 clinical medicine; mHealth; 501002 Applied psychology; usage facilitators; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; 10. No inequality

Background Nutrition apps are effective in changing eating behavior and diet-related health risk factors. However, while they may curb growing overweight obesity rates, widespread adoption is yet to be achieved. Hence, profound knowledge regarding factors motivating hindering (long-term) nutrition app use crucial for developing design guidelines aimed at supporting uptake prolonged of apps. Objective In this systematic review, we synthesized the literature on barriers facilitators across disciplines including empirical qualitative quantitative studies with current users, ex-users, nonusers Methods A search 6 databases (PubMed, Web Science, PsychINFO, PSYNDEX, PsycArticles, SPORTDiscus) as well backward forward citation was conducted. Search strategy, inclusion exclusion criteria, planned data extraction process were preregistered. All published German or English eligible if examined adolescents (aged 13-18) adults who either Based content analysis, extracted individual grouped into categories. Results total 28 publications identified eligible. framework a 3-level hierarchy designed which 328 23 subcategories, 12 categories, 4 clusters that focus user (goal setting goal striving, motivation, routines, lack awareness knowledge), different aspects smartphone (features, usability food database, technical issues, security, accuracy/trustworthiness, costs), positive negative outcomes use, interactions between their social environment. Conclusions The resulting conceptual underlines pronounced diversity reasons (not) using apps, indicating there no “one-size-fits-all” approach tailoring needs specific groups seems promising increasing engagement.