We live in an age where being unhealthier is now easier than ever. You can call an Uber wherever you are and Netflix has also helped to turn people into couch potatoes. It is easier to sit inside than it is to go outside and this has made getting fit and staying in shape that bit more difficult. It is truly no surprise that the world’s population is getting fatter as well. With all of this happening, it’s safe to say that fitness apps are a must-have.
The Case for Apps
Over the last few years, it’s safe to say that the fitness tech market has truly exploded. There is now a vast amount of new products available. You can choose from smart watches to other wearables and even apps. If you utilise tech then you will probably see glowing reviews and feedback about them.
This is great, but are they worth the hype? And do they work? Some research has said that they do work. Fitness apps help to promote positive changes in behaviour. Teams have surveyed hundreds of participants, including app users and non-current app users. They have said that those who use a fitness app are around 75% more active and they are also able to push to get results more too.
Why Are Apps So Popular?
So why are apps so popular? At the end of the day, it would seem that they are popular because they are paving the way for new and exciting technology. You can use a fitness app to track your steps, which led to the release of an app that tracks calories, and then fitness watches that track your heart rate. At the end of the day, this is great and it just goes to show how great they are at getting people motivated.
Are Fitness Apps Bad?
Some believe that fitness apps are not all they make out to be. Based on the research, they do encourage people to work out more and this is great. But things may not be quite as they seem. There is a lot of research out there that shows this might not be the case. They may not be benefitting people’s routines as much as they could be and this is very bad news, to say the least.
Teams of people at Penn State University have looked at around 200 apps. They made sure that they were using some that were paid for as well as some that were free. Furthermore, they used them from both app stores. They found that there were a lot of drastic behavioural changes but a lot of this depended on marketing materials.
Their research found that all in all, there were two groups of fitness apps. You had ones that motivated people and you also had ones that were educational. The descriptions of these apps, on average, included four different techniques for encouraging a change in behaviour. David Conroy who is a professor at Penn State has said that the app market is unregulated and that people often choose apps that are based on their description of it.
Conclusion Fitness Apps
This can be bad as it doesn’t mean that the app is going to deliver the biggest benefits. With that in mind, a lot of fitness comes down to pure habit and routine. If an app can get someone into a good habit, or a good routine then this could mean very positive things for the future and it may even mean that more can be done to try and combat the number of people who are struggling with their weight. Only time will tell what is going to happen next but right now, fitness apps look to be here to stay.
