Development of a Mobile App for Personalized Dietary Tracking and Nutritional Feedback

Thesis Abstract

The increasing prevalence of dietary-related health issues among adults necessitates innovative solutions to improve nutritional behaviors and promote healthy eating habits. Despite widespread awareness of the importance of balanced nutrition, adherence to dietary recommendations remains low due to factors such as limited personalized guidance, lack of real-time feedback, and difficulties in tracking dietary intake accurately. This study aims to develop a mobile application that provides personalized dietary tracking and immediate nutritional feedback, thereby enabling users to make informed dietary choices and enhance adherence to healthy eating patterns. The specific objectives are to design a user-centered mobile app incorporating food recognition and nutrient analysis features; evaluate its usability and acceptability among adult users; assess its effectiveness in improving dietary intake and nutritional knowledge; and identify behavioral and technological barriers to its adoption. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative component involves focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with 30 adult users to gather insights into user needs, preferences, and perceived barriers. Quantitative data are collected through a randomized controlled trial involving 200 adult participants recruited from a community health center, randomly assigned to either an intervention group using the app or a control group receiving standard dietary advice. Data collection instruments include a structured user satisfaction questionnaire, a validated dietary intake assessment (24-hour recall and food frequency questionnaires), and pre- and post-intervention nutritional knowledge tests. Usability of the app is evaluated through the System Usability Scale (SUS), and data on dietary behavior change are analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and ANCOVA to determine differences between groups. The intervention group’s app data is analyzed using regression techniques to identify predictors of dietary adherence, while thematic analysis is employed for qualitative interview transcripts to explore user experiences and barriers. The Expectancy-Value Theory and the Behavior Change Wheel serve as the theoretical frameworks guiding app development, focusing on increasing user motivation and facilitating behavioral change through tailored feedback. It is anticipated that the mobile app will significantly improve users’ dietary quality, increase nutritional knowledge, and be rated highly in usability and acceptability, with at least a 20% increase in adherence to dietary recommendations observed in the intervention group. The findings are expected to demonstrate that personalized nutritional feedback delivered via a user-friendly mobile platform can effectively promote healthier dietary behaviors among adults. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by bridging the gap between nutrition science, mobile technology, and behavioral psychology, providing empirical evidence for the efficacy of ICT tools in dietary management. Additionally, it offers a validated prototype of a personalized dietary tracking app that can be adapted across diverse populations and settings. The main conclusion underscores the potential of mobile health interventions to enhance dietary self-monitoring and motivation, thereby positively influencing nutritional behaviors. Based on the findings, it is recommended that healthcare providers incorporate mobile dietary apps into routine nutrition counseling, and that policymakers support the integration of ICT solutions into public health strategies targeting diet-related chronic diseases. Future studies are suggested to investigate long-term behavioral change, scaling effects, and integration with other health monitoring technologies to maximize impact.