Health and peace, and their relationships to disease/conflict/violence, are complex and multifaceted interrelated terms. Scholars have proposed a variety of definitions for health and peace. The conceptualizations of health and peace share many fundamental elements, including in their social, psychological (emotional and mental) and spiritual dimensions. We argue that health and peace are inter-dependent in a fundamental causal fashion. Health is always positively or negatively affected by conflict; peace can be directly or indirectly fostered through public health program and policy initiatives. Evidence shows that public health professionals and academics have frequently failed to recognize the inter-dependence of health and peace when conceptualizing, and addressing, issues related to health and peace. In contrast, the present article argues in support of a new paradigm for addressing public health issues related to health and peace; such a paradigm is based on the premise that health and peace are inextricably linked, requiring that they be addressed in an integrated, inter-dependent, fashion. Finally, we emphasize that fostering health and peace requires identifying and promoting positive socio-ecological influences on health, rather than limiting our focus to health deficits and obstacles at the individual or community levels.

Objectives There has been an increased emphasis on plant-based foods and diets in numerous dietary guidelines worldwide. Although mobile technology has the potential to be a convenient and cost-effective tool to aid adherence to dietary guidelines, little is known about the content and the quality of available mobile Apps on plant-based diets. Therefore, the objective of the study was to assess free, popular mobile health (mHealth) Apps supporting plant-based diets for Canadians. Methods Using pre-defined search terms, Apple iTunes and GooglePlay App stores were searched on December 22, 2020; the top 100 returns for each search term were screened for eligibility. Free and popular (≥3 out of 5 ratings; ≥100 total reviews) mHealth Apps available in English, primarily marketed to help users follow plant-based diets were included. Included Apps were downloaded and assessed for quality by three research assistants/dietitians using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and the App Quality Evaluation (AQEL) tool. Results Of the 998 Apps screened, 16 Apps (mean ratings ± SEM = 4.5 ± 0.08) met the eligibility criteria for assessment, comprising 10 recipe manager and meal planners, 2 food scanners, 2 vegan community builders, 1 restaurant identifier, and 1 sustainability-focused App. All included Apps targeted the general population and focused on changing behaviours using education (14 Apps), skills training (14 Apps), and/or goal setting (5 Apps). Vegan, vegetarian or other plant-based (e.g., pescatarian, flexitarian) settings were available in 13 Apps, while 3 Apps offered no plant-based diet settings. The MARS (rated out of 5) revealed a high overall App quality score (3.84 ± 0.66) and subjective quality score (3.63 ± 0.62), but low credibility score (2.09 ± 0.36). The AQEL (rated out of 10) revealed high scores in App function (8.29 ± 0.47), purpose (8.11 ± 0.39), and behavioral change potential (8.35 ± 0.45), but a low score in support of knowledge acquisition (4.82 ± 0.43). Conclusions Although a variety of free plant-based Apps with different focuses and behavioural change techniques are available to help Canadians follow plant-based diets, our findings suggest a need for credible Apps and other resources to complement the low support of knowledge acquisition in plant-based Apps. Funding Sources Banting & Best Diabetes Centre.

Objectives Canada has one of the highest Irritable Bowel Syndrome rates (IBS) globally (18% vs. 11%). There is growing interest in the low FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides, And Polyols) diet as nutrition therapy for IBS. However, recognizing IBS symptoms and identifying low FODMAPs foods has been challenging for users. Mobile technology may be a convenient and cost-effective tool in helping users adhere to the low FODMAPs diet. The objective was to assess free, popular mobile Health (mHealth) Apps supporting a low FODMAPs diet. Methods Apple iTunes and GooglePlay App stores were searched on December 22, 2020, using pre-selected search terms. The top 100 returns were screened for eligibility. Free and popular (≥3 out of 5 ratings; ≥100 total reviews) mHealth Apps available in English and primarily marketed to help follow FODMAPs diets were included. Apps were downloaded and assessed by 3 nutrition professionals using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and the App Quality Evaluation (AQEL) tool. Results Of the 1304 screened Apps, n = 9 (mean ratings ± SEM = 4.4 ± 0.1) met the eligibility criteria for assessment, comprising 5 FODMAPs identifiers and 4 tracking/monitoring symptoms Apps. Apps targeted the general population, and 70% focused on nutrition education and food shopping. The Apps used education (9), skills training (5), and/or goal setting (5) as a behavior change tool. 3 Apps provided a cognitive behavioral therapy component. The MARS (rated out of 5) revealed a high overall App quality score (3.6 ± 0.2), credibility (3.1 ± 0.5) and subjective quality scores (2.9 ± 0.3). The AQEL (rated out of 10) revealed high scores in App function (6.2 ± 0.7) and purpose (7.4 ± 0.8), but low scores in behavioral change potential (5.2 ± 0.7), knowledge acquisition (5.4 ± 0.7) and skills development (2.4 ± 1.2). Conclusions A small number of free FODMAPs diet Apps are available, with limited information on the nutritional adequacy and users’ compliance in following a low FODMAPs diet. Considering the need for careful assessment and management of IBS symptoms with the highly restrictive low FODMAPs diet, Apps should be evidence-based and designed with Behavioral Change Techniques and easy access to healthcare professionals that support Canadians in acquiring knowledge about the diet and in self-monitoring IBS. Funding Sources None.