NUTRITION APPS ON FOCUS: A QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT / ERNÄHRUNGS-APPS IM FOKUS: EINE QUALITÄTSBEWERTUNG
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v3i1.67Keywords:
nutrition apps, quality testing, evaluation tools / Ernährungs-Apps, Qualitätsbewertung, EvaluationsinstrumenteAbstract
The quality of nutrition apps can be evaluated by applying scientifically validated instruments. The objective of this study was to perform an in-depth quality-analysis of nutrition-related apps and to identify communalities and limitations of different assessment tools. Based on a keyword search for “nutrition” within the German Google Play Store, ten nutrition-related apps were selected and evaluated for quality using the App Quality Evaluation (AQEL), Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and “ENLIGHT” tools. The analyses highlighted discrepancies in app qualities regarding performance, credibility, security and user benefits. Given the three evaluation tools, each of which focuses on different aspects of quality, they cover a broad spectrum of quality criteria is covered. However, there are also overlaps in the evaluation categories function and functionality, credibility and evidence-base. Due to distinct scoring systems within the tools, overlapping categories were not interchangeable and aggravated a comprehensive app quality rating. Our findings indicate that AQEL, MARS and ENLIGHT, on a stand-alone basis, are suitable tools to assess individual aspects of quality for nutrition apps, without being exhaustive. A series of additional important quality aspects was identified, which can make an important contribution towards the development of an overarching quality assessment tool specific for nutrition apps.
Die Qualität von Ernährungs-Apps kann durch die Anwendung wissenschaftlich validierter Instrumente evaluiert werden. Ziel dieser Studie war es, eine detaillierte Qualitätsanalyse ernährungsbezogener Applikationen durchzuführen und Gemeinsamkeiten und Limitationen verschiedener Bewertungstools zu identifizieren. Basierend auf einer Schlagwortsuche zu „nutrition“ innerhalb des deutschen Google Play Stores wurden zehn ernährungsbezogene Apps ausgewählt und hinsichtlich ihrer Qualität bewertet. Hierzu wurden die App Quality Evaluation (AQEL), Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) und “ENLIGHT” Instrumente eingesetzt. Die Analyse verdeutlicht die Diskrepanzen bezüglich der App Qualität hinsichtlich Performanz, Glaubwürdigkeit, Sicherheit und Nutzervorteile. Die hierzu verwendeten Evaluationsinstrumente fokussieren sich auf unterschiedliche Qualitätsaspekte und decken ein breites Spektrum an Qualitätskriterien ab. Überschneidungen existieren hinsichtlich der Evaluationskategorien Funktion und Funktionalität, Glaubwürdigkeit und Evidenzbasierung. Aufgrund der abweichenden Bewertungssysteme ist es nicht möglich gleiche Kategorien auszutauschen, welches eine allumfassende App-Qualitätsbewertung erschwert. Unsere Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass AQEL, MARS und ENLIGHT individuell betrachtet, geeignete Instrumente zum Erfassen einzelner Qualitätsaspekte von Ernährungs-Apps darstellen, jedoch nicht allumfassend sind. Ergänzend wurden weitere wichtige Qualitätsaspekte identifiziert, die einen bedeutsamen Beitrag zur Entwicklung eines allumfassenden Qualitätsinstruments zur Bewertung von Ernährungs-Apps liefern könnten.
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