Table 1.
Evidence-based strategies, health care expert involvement, and scientific testing in apps for weight management.
| Criteria | iTunes (n=95) |
Google Play (n=98) |
Windows Store (n=100) |
Blackberry World (n=100) |
Total (N=393) |
|
|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | N (%) |
| Self-monitoring | 47 (49.5%) | 40 (40.8%) | 28 (28.0%) | 24 (24.0%) | 139 (35.4%) |
| Automatic self-monitoring | 9 (9.5%) | 2 (2.0%) | 13 (13.0%) | 16 (16.0%) | 40 (10.2%) |
| Goal-setting | 29 (30.5%) | 30 (30.6%) | 14 (14.0%) | 11 (11.0%) | 84 (21.4%) |
| Physical activity support | 26 (27.4%) | 30 (30.6%) | 25 (25.0%) | 27 (27.0%) | 108 (27.5%) |
| Healthy eating support | 16 (16.8%) | 47 (48.0%) | 7 (7.0%) | 21 (21.0%) | 91 (23.2%) |
| Weight /health assessment | 21 (22.1%) | 24 (24.5%) | 24 (24.0%) | 31 (31.0%) | 100 (25.4%) |
| Personalized feedback | 1 (1.1%) | 2 (2.0%) | 4 (4.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 7 (1.9%) |
| Motivational strategies (rewards, prompts, or gamification) | 9 (9.5%) | 7 (7.1%) | 11 (11.0%) | 1 (1.0%) | 28 (7.1%) |
| Social support | 4 (4.0%) | 7 (7.1%) | 10 (10.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 21 (5.3%) |
| Health care expert involvement | 1 (1.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.3%) |
| Scientific testing | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.0%) | 2 (2.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (0.8%) |