Nutrition App Review: Lose It!
This paper is made up of three parts. The first part is an introduction of my Basic Metabolic Rate and Caloric Intake. The second part is the review of the application chosen. The app is then identified, described and these descriptions are expounded. The third and last part includes justification as to how nutrition apps such as this one helps the end user.
As a 23 year old male weighing 60 kilograms at around 180 centimetres, I computed my Basic Metabolic Rate and Caloric intake by multiplying my weight in pounds (132) by 17 (calories per pound for strenuously active men).
I have determined that my BMR is at 2244 kcal/day. Using this allowance, I have determined my fat allowance by multiplying my total daily calories by 20% and then dividing the result by 9. This formula tells me that I am allowed 50 grams of fat per day. The nutrition app I have chosen for this assignment is the Lose It!. It is available for download at the Google Play Store for the Android users, as well as the IStore for the Apple users. Its website may be accessed using the following link: http://www.loseit.com/.
Using the app, I was able to input my current weight and height. I was also able to input my present dietary intake including breakfast, lunch, dinner as well as the snacks in between. I was also able to set a goal using the app. In my case, my goal was to maintain my weight. Progress with regard to weight could also be tracked as shown in Figure 1.
With regards to planning in order to achieve this goal, the app provides the calories required for the said objective. Using the app, I could input my diet for the day. Using this, the app determined if I was under or over the budget for the required amount of calories per day, as shown on Figure 2.
The app was pretty user friendly. Its ease of use is founded on the fact that there is a dashboard containing all of the pertinent data. Aside from the log and goals, there is also a “Social” feature which connects the user with the other users of this app across the glove. With a press of the plus button, it takes the user to the entry sidebar which allows input of the meals, exercise as well as weight. The interface is simple and easy to understand. See Figure 3.
As shown on Figure 4, content is also comprehensive. A single touch takes the user to the page summarizing the different components of a meal including percentages and amount in grams. This is especially useful to those on special diet plans restricting or promoting protein or fat intake.
Figure 3
Figure 4
There are, however some downsides to this app. For one, the summaries are done per meal, i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were no options for daily summaries. Apparently, this is only available in the paid version. There were also other features which were not available to non-premium users such as customization of goals among other things.
Overall, I liked the app. It was easy to use and easy to maintain. The most beneficial part of the app for me was the calorie counter as well as the nutrition facts of each food. I also liked that it has an expansive database on all food groups. Progress with regards to weight is also easily tracked.
Since I always forgot to input my daily activity, the “exercise portion” became the least beneficial part of the app for me. I discovered, however, that the app includes a lot of exercise activities to input. The app definitely influenced by food choices. By looking up the nutritional information about the food I was eating, I was more conscious of consuming foods with “empty calories”.
The use of smartphone apps in order to improve nutrition has been increasing with the advent of more advanced technology to track fitness. Hebden et. al. studied 10 subjects between the ages 18 to 35 with regards to the effectivity of these apps. They concluded that these apps may be an innovative and inexpensive way to influence behavior change. However, the target population must be studies further in order to promote regularity of use. (3)
In a literature review by Coughlin, et. al., many conclusions were drawn. One was that users preferred simple and easy to use apps. Another was that these apps were associated with better compliance to their specific diets such as lower calorie and higher in fiber. The use of the apps also encouraged physical activity. (9)
In summation, nutrition apps, when applied in the right manner, may prove to be very beneficial to the user. However, it is important to form a habit with regards to the use of the said apps in order to maximize its potential advantage.
Works Cited
Coughlin, Steven, Mary Whitehead, Joyce Sheats, Jeff Mastromonico, and Selena Smith. "Smartphone Applications for Promoting Healthy Diet and Nutrition: A Literature Review." PMC 2.3 (2015): 1-9.
Hebden, Lana, Amelia Cook, Hidde P Van Der Ploeg, and Margaret Allman-Farinelli. "Development of Smartphone Applications for Nutrition and Physical Activity Behavior Change." JMIR Research Protocols JMIR Res Protoc 1.2 (2012). Web.
