9, 10 Additionally, when compared with, for instance, paper tracking, these apps are always on hand and more discreet because of the prevalence of and norms around smartphone use, making it easier to constantly engage with diet and fitness content. This is an issue because dieting behaviours and unhealthy weight control methods are also risk factors for eating disorders. Diet and fitness apps also support and encourage dieting behaviours. The emphasis on weight loss within these apps is consistent with and feeds into Western cultures’ obsession with thinness and dieting. 8 Further, these apps tend to overlook the role of mental health in addressing physical health challenges. Using weight loss as a proxy for health is problematic because it may increase the risk of or exacerbate eating disorder behaviours in already susceptible groups, such as women attending university. 4– 7 These apps often overwhelmingly focus on weight loss and normalise weight control methods. Although these apps are popular 1, 2 and can be helpful to some, 3 they can have unintended adverse effects on others, such as university and college students. Most of these apps consist of nutrition, food, physical activity, weight and even sometimes body measurement tracking tools and connections to a community of users with similar goals. Diet and fitness apps often are touted as a means to improve users’ health.
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