A Pilot-study of the use of Nutrition-related Apps and Software in Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown measures have risen the malnutrition problem in the world, especially in Africa. The use of nutrition apps/software at individual level therefore appears as suitable solution given the context. This study aimed at assessing the actual usage level of nutrition apps/software and the determining factors. A cross-sectional study consisting of an online-survey conducted from April to May 2020 with as target Africans aged of 18 and above was carried out. A total of 460 respondents from different African countries was registered. Globally they appeared to have started using computer and smartphones since at least 5 years and this mostly at a daily frequency together with internet. A total of 52.2 % of the respondents recognized not to apply or not to know if they apply the principles of a balanced diet in their day-to-day life, but just 18% reported to be using a nutrition apps/software; COVID-19 pandemic having pushed 7% to refer more to these tools and 0.7% to start using one. South Africa nationals, people living in a household of 3-5 people and those having a monthly income above 500 USD tended to use them more. Almost half of the users report that these tools do not take into consideration foods available in their context. On the other hand, almost half of the non-users (41.5% of respondents) said they would prefer to be advised by a dietician. However up to 50.9% clearly stated they are interested in learning more about these tools, which is of quite of big interest in preventing Non-communicable diseases resurgence in relation to COVID-19 pandemic.
Â
Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-03-SI-3
Full Text: PDF
Keywords
References
Hamer, M., Kivimäki, M., Gale, C. R., & Batty, G. D. (2020). Lifestyle risk factors, inflammatory mechanisms, and COVID-19 hospitalization: A community-based cohort study of 387,109 adults in UK. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 87, 184–187. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.059.
López-Bueno, R., Calatayud, J., Casaña, J., Casajús, J.A., Smith, L., Tully, M.A., Andersen, L.L., & López-Sánchez, G.F. (2020). COVID-19 Confinement and Health Risk Behaviors in Spain. Frontiers in Psychology, 11:1426. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01426
Stanton, R., To, Q.G., Khalesi, S., Williams, S.L., Alley, S.J., Thwaite, T.L., Fenning, A.S., & Vandelanotte, C. (2020). Depression, anxiety and stress during COVID-19: Associations with changes in physical activity, sleep, tobacco and alcohol use in Australian adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11). doi:10.3390/ijerph17114065
Bracale, R., & Vaccaro, C.M. (2020). Changes in food choice following restrictive measures due to Covid-19. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2020.05.027
Chaudhry, R., Dranitsaris, G., Mubashir, T., Bartoszko, J., & Riazi, S. (2020). A country level analysis measuring the impact of government actions, country preparedness and socioeconomic factors on COVID-19 mortality and related health outcomes. EClinicalMedicine. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100464
Di Renzo, L., Gualtieri, P., Pivari, F., Soldati, L., Attinà , A., Cinelli, G., Cinelli, G., Leggeri, C., Caparello, G., Barrea, L., Scerbo, F., Esposito, E., & De Lorenzo, A. (2020). Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: An Italian survey. Journal of Translational Medicine, 18, 229. doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02399-5
World Health Organization. (2018a). Noncommunicable Diseases Country Profiles 2018. World Health Organization. Available online: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/274512/9789241514620-eng.pdf (accessed on January 2021).
World Health Organization. (2018b). Noncommunicable diseases. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases (accessed on January 2021).
World Health Organization. (2020a). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report–82. Available online: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200411-sitrep-82-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=74a5d15_2 (accessed on February 2021).
Spires, M., Delobelle, P., Sanders, D., Puoane, T., Hoelzel, P., & Swart, R. (2016). Diet-related non-communicable diseases in South Africa: determinants and policy responses. South African Health Review, 2016(1), 35-42.
World Health Organization. (2020b). COVID-19 and NCDs. Available online: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/inaugural-who-partners-forum/covid-19-and-ncds---final---corr7.pdf (accessed on January 2021).
Palmer, K., Monaco, A., Kivipelto, M., Onder, G., Maggi, S., Michel, J.P., Prieto, R., Sykara, G., & Donde, S. (2020). The potential long-term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on patients with non-communicable diseases in Europe: consequences for healthy ageing. Aging clinical and experimental research, 32, 1189–1194. doi:10.1007/s40520-020-01601-4
DiFilippo, K.N., Huang, W.H., Andrade, J.E., & Chapman-Novakofski, K.M. (2015). The use of mobile apps to improve nutrition outcomes: A systematic literature review. J. Telemed. Telecare. doi:10.1177/1357633X15572203
Gilliland, J., Sadler, R., Clark, A., O’Connor, C., Milczarek, M., & Doherty, S. (2015). Using a smartphone application to promote healthy dietary behaviours and local food consumption. BioMed Research International. Int. doi:10.1155/2015/841368
Karduck, J., & Chapman-Novakofski, K. (2018). Results of the Clinician Apps Survey, How Clinicians Working With Patients With Diabetes and Obesity Use Mobile Health Apps. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 50(1), 62-69. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2017.06.004
Zhao, J., Freeman, B., & Li, M. (2016). Can mobile phone apps influence people’s health behavior change? An evidence review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(11), 287. doi:10.2196/jmir.5692
Onyango, A.W., Jean-Baptiste, J., Samburu, B., & Mahlangu, T.L.M. (2019). Regional Overview on the Double Burden of Malnutrition and Examples of Program and Policy Responses: African Region. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. doi:10.1159/000503671
Poushter, J., Bishop, C., & Chwe, H. (2018). Social media use continues to rise in developing countries, but plateaus across developed ones. Washington: Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available online: http://www.pewglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/06/Pew-Research-Center_Global-Tech-Social-Media-Use_2018.06.19.pdf (accessed on August 2020).
Ahmed, R., Robinson, R., Elsony, A., Thomson, R., Bertel Squire, S., Malmborg, R., Burney, P., & Mortimer, K. (2018). A comparison of smartphone and paper data-collection tools in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study in Gezira state, Sudan. PLoS One, 13(3): e0193917. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193917
West, J.H., Belvedere, L.M., Andreasen, R., Frandsen, C., Hall, P.C., & Crookston, B.T., (2017). Controlling Your “Appâ€etite: How Diet and Nutrition-Related Mobile Apps Lead to Behavior Change. JMIR mHealth uHealth. 5(7), e95. doi:10.2196/mhealth.7410
Mateo, G.F., Granado-Font, E., Ferré-Grau, C., & Montaña-Carreras, X. (2015). Mobile phone apps to promote weight loss and increase physical activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of medical Internet research. JMIR Publications Inc, 17(11), p. e253. doi:10.2196/jmir.4836
Kunst, A. (2019). Percentage of U.S. adults who would use an app to track their diet and nutrition as of 2017, by age. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/698919/us-adults-that-would-use-an-app-to-track-their-diet-by-age/ (accessed on January 2021).
Bucuta, A. (2015). A Review of the Specific Characteristics of the Generation Y Consumer. Marketing From Information to Decision, (8), 38-47.
Rosenbloom, C. (2017) 9 ways millennials are changing the way we eat - The Washington Post, The Washington Post. Available online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/9-ways-millennials-are-changing-the-way-we-eat/2018/ 02/20/ 6bb2fe60-11eb-11e8-8ea1-c1d91fcec3fe_story.html (accessed on August 2020).
Payne, H.E., Lister, C., West, J.H., & Bernhardt, J.M. (2015). Behavioral Functionality of Mobile Apps in Health Interventions: A Systematic Review of the Literature. JMIR mHealth uHealth, 3(1), 20. doi:10.2196/mhealth.3335
Ipjian, M.L., & Johnston, C.S. (2017). Smartphone technology facilitates dietary change in healthy adults. Nutrition, 343-347. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2016.08.003.
DOI: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-03-SI-3
Refbacks
Copyright (c) 2021 Alex Tchuenchieu, Hema Kesa, Gifty Koufie, Eridiong Onyenweaku
