Alnooh, G., Alessa, T., Noorwali, E. orcid.org/0000-0002-8312-402X et al. (4 more authors) (2023) Identification of the most suitable mobile apps to support dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet self-management: systematic search of app stores and content analysis. Nutrients, 15 (15). 3476. ISSN 2072-6643
Abstract
Smartphone apps might provide an opportunity to support the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, a healthy diet designed to help lower blood pressure. This study evaluated DASH diet self-management apps based on their quality, likely effectiveness, and data privacy/security to identify the most suitable app(s). A systematic search and content analysis were conducted of all DASH diet apps available in Google Play and the Apple App Store in the UK in November 2022. Apps were included if they provided DASH diet tracking. A previous systematic literature review found some commercial apps not found in the app store search, and these were also included in this review. Three reviewers used the App Quality Evaluation Tool (AQEL) to assess each app’s quality across seven domains: knowledge acquisition, skill development, behaviour change, purpose, functionality, and appropriateness for adults with hypertension. Domains with a score of 8 or higher were considered high-quality. Two reviewers assessed the apps’ data privacy and security and then coded Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) linked to the Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF) underpinning the likely effectiveness of the apps. Seven DASH diet apps were assessed, showing the limited availability of apps supporting DASH diet self-management. The AQEL assessment showed that three apps scored higher than eight in most of the AQEL domains. Nineteen BCTs were used across the apps, linked to nine TDF action mechanisms that may support DASH diet self-management behaviours. Four apps met standards for privacy and security. All seven apps with self-monitoring functionality had sufficient theoretical basis to demonstrate likely effectiveness. However, most had significant quality and data security shortcomings. Only two apps, NOOM and DASH To TEN, were found to have both adequate quality and security and were thus deemed suitable to support DASH diet self-management.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | DASH diet; behaviour change techniques; hypertension; mHealth; quality; self-management; smartphone app; Humans; Mobile Applications; Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension; Diet; Behavior Therapy; Self-Management |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > Department of Human Metabolism (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > Department of Oncology (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Medicine and Population Health |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 14 Sep 2023 08:20 |
Last Modified: | 14 Sep 2023 08:20 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu15153476 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | MDPI AG |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3390/nu15153476 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:203261 |