ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2019
Use of Weight-Management Mobile Phone Apps in Saudi Arabia: A Web-Based Survey.
Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness and Feasibility of Interventions for Weight Management of Young Adults in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs): A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026Pooled it
- The Quality of Mobile Apps Used for the Identification of Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Systematic Survey and Review of Apps in App Stores.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Arabic Wellness Apps in the MENA Region and Saudi Arabia: Current Evidence and Systematic Evaluation.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- An Investigation of the Feasibility and Acceptability of Using a Commercial DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) App in People With High Blood Pressure: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- The Association of eHealth Literacy Skills and mHealth Application Use Among US Adults With Obesity: Analysis of Health Information National Trends Survey Data.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Article
- Designing sustainable mobile weight management applications: information technology (IT) experts perspectives.mHealth · 2024Article
- Low- and Medium-Socioeconomic-Status Group Members' Perceived Challenges and Solutions for Healthy Nutrition: Qualitative Focus Group Study.JMIR human factors · 2022Article
- Exploring Saudi Individuals' Perspectives and Needs to Design a Hypertension Management Mobile Technology Solution: Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Perspectives and Preferences of Adult Smartphone Users Regarding Nutrition and Diet Apps: Web-Based Survey Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Article
- Feasibility Study of a Newly Developed Technology-Mediated Lifestyle Intervention for Overweight and Obese Young Adults.Nutrients · 2021Article
- Barriers to and Facilitators for Using Nutrition Apps: Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Article
- Weight Management Apps in Saudi Arabia: Evaluation of Features and Quality.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn recent years, the use of mobile phone weight-management apps has increased significantly. Weight-management apps have been found effective in promoting health and managing weight. However, data on user perception and on barriers to app usage are scarce.
objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the use of weight-management apps and barriers to use as well as reasons for discontinuing use in a sample of mobile phone users in Saudi Arabia.
methodsMobile phone users aged 18 years and above from the general public in Saudi Arabia completed a Web-based survey. The survey included questions on weight-management app usage patterns, user perceptions concerning weight management, efficacy of weight-management apps, and reasons for discontinuing use. Participants were classified into normal weight (body mass index [BMI]: 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m
resultsThe survey included 1191 participants; 513 of them used weight-management apps. More overweight or obese respondents used these apps compared with normal weight respondents (319/513, 62.2% vs 194/513, 37.8%, respectively). App features that overweight or obese users were most interested in were mainly the possibility to be monitored by a specialist and barcode identification of calorie content, whereas normal weight users mostly preferred availability of nutrition information of food items. Reasons for discontinuing use among overweight or obese respondents were mainly that monitoring by a specialist was not offered (80/236, 33.9%) and the app was not in the local language (48/236, 20.3%). Among normal weight users, the main reason for noncontinuance was the app language (45/144, 31.3%) and difficulty of use (30/144, 20.8%).
conclusionsTo better address the needs of both normal weight and overweight or obese adults, improved app designs that offer monitoring by a specialist are needed. Developers may consider ways of overcoming barriers to use, such as language, by developing local language apps, which can improve the efficacy of such apps and help spread their use.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.