Coughlin Steven S, Whitehead Mary, Sheats Joyce Q, Mastromonico Jeff, Hardy Dale, Smith Selina A
Department of Community Health and Sustainability, Division of Public Health, College of Health Science, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA.
SISTAAH Talk Breast Cancer Support Group, Miami, FL, USA.
Jacobs J Food Nutr. 2015;2(3):021.
Rapid developments in technology have encouraged the use of smartphones in health promotion research and practice. Although many applications (apps) relating to diet and nutrition are available from major smartphone platforms, relatively few have been tested in research studies in order to determine their effectiveness in promoting health.
In this article, we summarize data on the use of smartphone applications for promoting healthy diet and nutrition based upon bibliographic searches in PubMed and CINAHL with relevant search terms pertaining to diet, nutrition, and weight loss through August 2015.
A total of 193 articles were identified in the bibliographic searches. By screening abstracts or full-text articles, a total of three relevant qualitative studies and 9 randomized controlled trials were identified. In qualitative studies, participants preferred applications that were quick and easy to administer, and those that increase awareness of food intake and weight management. In randomized trials, the use of smartphone apps was associated with better dietary compliance for lower calorie, low fat, and high fiber foods, and higher physical activity levels (p=0.01-0.02) which resulted in more weight loss (p=0.042-<0.0001).
Future studies should utilize randomized controlled trial research designs, larger sample sizes, and longer study periods to better establish the diet and nutrition intervention capabilities of smartphones. There is a need for culturally appropriate, tailored health messages to increase knowledge and awareness of health behaviors such as healthy eating. Smartphone apps are likely to be a useful and low-cost intervention for improving diet and nutrition and addressing obesity in the general population. Participants prefer applications that are quick and easy to administer and those that increase awareness of food intake and weight management.
技术的快速发展推动了智能手机在健康促进研究与实践中的应用。尽管各大智能手机平台上有许多与饮食和营养相关的应用程序（应用），但为确定其促进健康效果而在研究中进行测试的相对较少。
在本文中，我们基于2015年8月前在PubMed和CINAHL中使用与饮食、营养及减肥相关的检索词进行的文献检索，总结了关于使用智能手机应用促进健康饮食和营养的数据。
在文献检索中总共识别出193篇文章。通过筛选摘要或全文文章，总共识别出三项相关的定性研究和9项随机对照试验。在定性研究中，参与者更喜欢快速且易于使用的应用，以及那些能提高食物摄入量和体重管理意识的应用。在随机试验中，使用智能手机应用与对低热量、低脂肪和高纤维食物更好的饮食依从性以及更高的身体活动水平相关（p = 0.01 - 0.02），这导致更多的体重减轻（p = 0.042 - <0.0001）。
未来的研究应采用随机对照试验研究设计、更大的样本量和更长的研究周期，以更好地确定智能手机在饮食和营养干预方面的能力。需要有适合不同文化背景、量身定制的健康信息，以增加对健康行为（如健康饮食）的知识和认识。智能手机应用可能是改善饮食和营养以及解决普通人群肥胖问题的一种有用且低成本的干预措施。参与者更喜欢快速且易于使用的应用，以及那些能提高食物摄入量和体重管理意识的应用。
