callogs appcheck

A technical assessment and validation of an existing smartphone app to track calorie intake.

Research Center

Research Center Health Sciences

Department

Health Sciences

The company apptec (application technologies) offers professional development and marketing of smartphone apps. With regard to its new development CalLogs - an app for tracking calorie intake - the company consulted the dietetics program of the Hochschule Campus Wien. For implementation within the framework of an FFG Innovation Check Plus, a revision concept was developed that included identifying methodological errors and suggestions regarding bug fixes. Based on a focus group interview, a thematic analysis generates qualitative information regarding usability and acceptance. A comparison against an objective determination of body composition allows a quantitative determination of the method error. A calibration function based on self-reported body weight is intended to counteract the problem of portion sizes that are difficult to estimate.

 

 

Project Goals

  • Identification of methodological weaknesses in the CalLogs calorie-tracking app
  • Development of a concept to optimize usability and functionality
  • Analysis of user acceptance and user-friendliness through focus group interviews
  • Development of a calibration feature to improve the accuracy of calorie tracking
  • Derivation of scientifically sound recommendations for the app’s further development
 

Project Lead

Project Team