Smartphone Applications for People Health and Fitness
Healthcare providers are often looking for ways to objectively monitor and improve their patients’ health
and fitness, especially in between patient visits. Some insurance companies are using applications data as incentives to improve health and lower premiums. As more and more people start to use smartphones, they may
provide a tool to help improve a patient’s health and fitness. Specifically, fitness applications or “apps” on
smartphones are programs that use data collected from a smartphone’s inbuilt tools, such as the Global Positioning System, accelerometer, microphone, speaker, and camera, to measure health and fitness parameters. The
apps then analyze these data and summarize them, as well as devise individualized plans based on users’ goals,
provide frequent feedback, personalized coaching, and additional motivation by allowing milestonesto be shared
on social media. This article introduces evidence that apps can better help patients reach their health and fitness
goals. It then discusses what features to look for in an app, followed by an overview of popular health and fitness
apps. Last, patient scenarios with app recommendations, limitations of apps, and future research are discussed.
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