Evaluation of overweight control applications with cognitive-behavioral therapy approach: A systematic review

Abstract

Background and Aims: Overweight and obesity lead to the development of physical diseases. Cognitive factors play a vital role in controlling one's weight. Currently, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions are recognized as a subcategory of lifestyle modification programs that can be implemented to control weight and modify eating patterns as well as physical activity. Nowadays, smartphone-based applications are utilized to implement behavioral interventions. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of CBT-based smartphone applications available on Google Play and the App Store in the field of overweight control. Methods: Smartphone-based utility applications available on Google Play and App Store were identified in March 2021. Weight control smartphone applications were obtained based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The app name, platform, version, number of downloads, password protection, affiliations, and features of retrieved apps were tabulated. The Mobile Application Rating Scale was utilized to evaluate the quality of the identified apps. Results: Seventeen CBT-based weight control smartphone apps were retrieved. The average engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality scores were 3.65, 3.92, 3.80, and 3.91, respectively. Also, the average score in an aspect containing the usefulness of the app, frequency of using the application, cost, and user satisfaction was 3.5. Conclusion: Future applications related to this field can be improved by providing a personalization program according to the needs of users and the possibility of online chatting with the therapist. Further improvements can be achieved by improving the areas of engagement, aesthetics, and subjective quality as well as having appropriate privacy policies.