Summary
A study from University College London and Loughborough University found that fitness apps can sometimes cause negative feelings like shame and disappointment, leading some users to abandon their fitness goals. Researchers reviewed over 58,000 Twitter posts about popular fitness apps and discovered that features meant to motivate, like calorie tracking, can have the opposite effect for some people. Fitness app companies, such as WeightWatchers, responded by highlighting their programs' benefits.
Key Facts
- Researchers analyzed 58,881 Twitter posts about fitness apps.
- The study focused on MyFitnessPal, Strava, WW, Workouts by Muscle Booster, Fitness Coach & Diet, and FitCoach.
- Of these posts, 13,799 expressed negative feelings.
- Common negative emotions included shame, guilt, and frustration.
- Users often felt pressured by reminders to track calories and steps.
- Some users abandoned their goals due to these negative emotions.
- WeightWatchers highlighted the positive outcomes of its programs in response to the study.
- Researchers found some users confused by app-provided calorie recommendations.
