Choose an app that will motivate you
Are the apps successful in getting their users moving more? “The literature says that the results are rather contradictory. It seems to work in some cases, while in others it doesn’t,” replies Félix Berrigan, professor at the Faculty of Physical Activity Sciences at the University of Sherbrooke.
What explains this finding? The various behavior change techniques put forward by the applications would be, in part, responsible for these discrepancies. “Feedback seems to be one of the most effective behavior change techniques in applications,” says the professor. Knowing the number of steps taken or kilometers traveled motivates the user. Applications that allow you to set goals or interact with your peers would also have a positive effect on the practice of physical activities, notes Félix Berrigan.
What more and more studies tend to show is that applications that integrate several behavior change techniques are those for which we see the most success.
Félix Berrigan, professor at the Faculty of Sciences of Physical Activity at the University of Sherbrooke
The application must also be easy to use for the user, otherwise he will stop referring to it, adds Félix Berrigan.
A recent study conducted by his team reveals that 40% of adolescents use applications for the practice of physical activities. The latter “are more active than those who do not use it”. “It tends to show us that applications can be a help in reaching the recommendations [en matière d’activité physique] “says the professor.
Stay tuned to your body
Physical activity isn’t the only health niche being taken over by apps. In terms of food, a variety of options are available: barcode readers that classify foods according to their nutritional values, food diaries and much more. “I think we really have to avoid putting them all in the same basket,” says nutritionist Stéphanie Côté.
By encouraging the user to observe their habits, what they eat, in what quantities, when and why, “some applications can bring awareness, which is the first step towards possible changes for their health” , she continues.
However, the nutritionist is wary of applications that are “a little too mathematical and not human and intuitive enough”. “If I scan jam, it’s sure to indicate that it’s too sweet. But if I put a teaspoon of it on my toast peanut butter made out of brown bread in the morning, where’s the harm? She adds: “I am afraid that these applications maintain the principle of diet, of monitoring each other, of not listening to each other, but rather of relying on external instructions. »
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The application must be easy to use for the user, otherwise he will stop referring to it, adds Félix Berrigan.
Forgetting to listen to your body is also an observable risk with physical activity apps. Those that encourage users to compete against each other can cause people to overtrain, says Félix Berrigan. “There is then a risk of disconnecting from our bodily signals which ensure that we do not injure ourselves and that we do not accumulate useless fatigue. »
Being able to pick up
Sports nutritionist Evelyne Deblock doesn’t encourage long-term use of apps to track your diet. “The fact of systematically noting what we eat, of analyzing, can become obsessive. If I absolutely want to reach the number of calories set, I may go for foods that are not nutritious, but which will allow me to have fewer calories. We gradually fall into pattern of an eating disorder. »
Some applications are very demanding, also notes Félix Berrigan. “Once we have reached the goal, the application always offers us a higher goal. At some point, achieving this goal becomes very difficult. »
Meet a professional
The three experts met by The Press agree: consulting a professional before using health apps can help you get more out of them. “The advice of a kinesiologist, for example, can lead us to correctly interpret the feedback given to us by the apps,” says Félix Berrigan.
“The best way to use this type of application is with a health professional, believes Stéphanie Côté. A nutritionist, who is the food specialist, will help put things into context. […] It is not enough to know our weight, our height, our age and our sex to know how many calories we need. It depends on our way of life. » The practice of sports, sleep or illness can in particular influence a person’s needs. “There are so many parameters that the applications do not detect or take into account as a therapist does”, summarizes Stéphanie Côté.