Most Mobile Weight-Loss Apps Lack Proven Behavioral Change Strategies

A U.S. study that evaluated 30 popular mobile weight-loss apps lack effective behavioral diet strategies, such as stimulus willpower control, problem solving, stress reduction and relapse prevention. Lacking these so-called evidence-based – i.e., scientifically proven to be effective – strategies, means the apps go only so far in helping people lose weight because they do not provide strategies for staying on track when motivation flags. Twenty-eight out of 30 of the apps included only five of the 20 proven behavioral strategies. The top two apps include only 65 percent of the 20 strategies.