A Systematic Review on What Features Should be Supported by Fitness Apps and Wearables to Help Users Overcome Obesity

Alturki, RM

A Systematic Review on What Features Should be Supported by Fitness Apps and Wearables to Help Users Overcome Obesity

Alturki, RM

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2016, 05 (09), pp. 197 - 206
Issue Date:: 2016-09-25

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Alturki, RM https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0967-1885	en_US
dc.date.issued	2016-09-25	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2016, 05 (09), pp. 197 - 206	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	2321-7308	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/119606
dc.description.abstract	Obesity is a major global challenge. It increases the risk of developing health problems such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Its prevalence puts pressure on the healthcare systems and on individuals’ health and finances as well. The use of fitness technology, mobile apps and wearable devices in supporting health behaviour change is promising. Fitness technology not only expands opportunities for users to access health related information but also facilitate cueing behaviour change and collection of ongoing personal data. The objective of this paper is to identify the features that should be supported by health and fitness apps and fitness wearable devices to encourage obese individuals to be active, change their lifestyle and to keep them motivated to overcome obesity. Firstly, it investigates the effectiveness and the efficiency of prevalent fitness apps and fitness wearable devices design features used to encourage physical activity. It then provides a method to evaluate both fitness apps and fitness wearable devices as motivational tools. The results regarding mobile apps highlight that goal setting, monitoring/tracking and feedback are the best features for motivation and that Zombie Run is the best fitness app for the Australian market in 2015. The results in regards to wearable devices emphasise reminders, tracking / monitoring/ feedback and goals / rewards are the best features for motivation and that Garmin Vivofitis the best fitness wearable devices for the American market in 2015. These results are useful for the users; fitness apps’ and fitness wearable devices’ developers because they provide some understanding of the various features needed to motivate individuals.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.15623/ijret.2016.0509032	en_US
dc.title	A Systematic Review on What Features Should be Supported by Fitness Apps and Wearables to Help Users Overcome Obesity	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	09	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	05	en_US
utslib.for	0805 Distributed Computing	en_US
utslib.for	0806 Information Systems	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Electrical and Data Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - INEXT - Innovation in IT Services and Applications
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.issue	09	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	05	en_US

Abstract:

Obesity is a major global challenge. It increases the risk of developing health problems such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Its prevalence puts pressure on the healthcare systems and on individuals’ health and finances as well. The use of fitness technology, mobile apps and wearable devices in supporting health behaviour change is promising. Fitness technology not only expands opportunities for users to access health related information but also facilitate cueing behaviour change and collection of ongoing personal data. The objective of this paper is to identify the features that should be supported by health and fitness apps and fitness wearable devices to encourage obese individuals to be active, change their lifestyle and to keep them motivated to overcome obesity. Firstly, it investigates the effectiveness and the efficiency of prevalent fitness apps and fitness wearable devices design features used to encourage physical activity. It then provides a method to evaluate both fitness apps and fitness wearable devices as motivational tools. The results regarding mobile apps highlight that goal setting, monitoring/tracking and feedback are the best features for motivation and that Zombie Run is the best fitness app for the Australian market in 2015. The results in regards to wearable devices emphasise reminders, tracking / monitoring/ feedback and goals / rewards are the best features for motivation and that Garmin Vivofitis the best fitness wearable devices for the American market in 2015. These results are useful for the users; fitness apps’ and fitness wearable devices’ developers because they provide some understanding of the various features needed to motivate individuals.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/119606