Electronic Apps for Food and Appetite Monitoring: Acceptability and Reactive Effects in Women with Eating and Weight Concerns Open Access

Abstract

Electronic Apps for Food and Appetite Monitoring:
Acceptability and Reactive Effects in Women with Eating and Weight Concerns

Applications (apps) for mobile digital devices offer a logical, convenient, more methodologically sound alternative to traditional paper and pencil methods for self-recording food intake and appetite sensations. Although food-monitoring apps are widely available to the general public, there are no known apps for recording appetite levels. Moreover, despite their frequent use in treatment and clinical research, we still know very little about the relative reactive effects of these two types of self-monitoring, or the extent to which individuals consider these self-monitoring techniques acceptable or useful. This study evaluated the feasibility, relative acceptability, and relative reactive effects of two novel apps for mobile digital devices for electronically recording food intake and appetite sensations. Eighty-seven women with weight and shape concerns were randomly assigned to monitor either their appetite levels (n=46) or food intake (n=41) for 3 weeks, using an application (app) and a mobile digital device. Contrary to what had been predicted, both groups had similarly high rates of compliance, as measured by total number of days monitored. As hypothesized, both forms of electronic self-monitoring produced similar significant reductions in eating pathology overall. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals assigned to electronically monitor their appetite did not report greater reductions in food and weight preoccupation or general eating pathology, compared to individuals who electronically monitored their daily food intake, nor did individuals in the appetite monitoring condition report increased interoceptive awareness. However, at post-test, individuals in the food monitoring group reported higher concerns over eating, deprivation, and tendency to restrict food intake, compared to those in the appetite monitoring condition. Moreover, at post-test, participants who monitored their appetite rated their experience as having been more positive than those who monitored food intake.

Key Words: eating disorders, technology, appetite, food, self-monitoring

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. Introduction .......................................1

II. Method ...........................................14
III. Results ..........................................25
IV. Discussion ......................................32
V. Footnotes ........................................46
VI. References .....................................47
VII. Tables, Figures ..............................57

About this Dissertation

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Psychology
Degree	PhD
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Clinical Psychology, General Health Sciences, Public Health
Keyword	technology eating disorders self-monitoring appetite food-monitoring
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Craighead, Linda, Emory University
Committee Members	Bauer, Patricia, Emory University Nowicki Jr., Stephen, Emory University Duke, Marshall P, Emory University Nygaard, Lynne, Emory University

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