Background The prevalence of obesity in India is increasing at an alarming rate. Obesity-related mHealth apps have proffered an exciting opportunity to remotely deliver obesity-related information. This opportunity raises the question of whether such apps are truly effective. Objective The aim of this study was to identify existing obesity-related mHealth apps in India and evaluate the potential of the apps’ contents to promote health behavior change. This study also aimed to discover the general quality of obesity-related mHealth apps. Methods A systematic search for obesity-related mHealth apps was conducted in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The features and quality of the sample apps were assessed using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and the potential of the sample apps’ contents to promote health behavior change was assessed using the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model (PPM). Results A total of 13 apps (11 from the Google Play Store and 2 from the Apple App Store) were considered eligible for the study. The general quality of the 13 apps assessed using MARS resulted in mean scores ranging from 1.8 to 3.7. The bivariate Pearson correlation between the MARS rating and app user rating failed to establish statistically significant results. The multivariate regression analysis result indicated that the PPM factors are significant determinants of health behavior change (F3,9=63.186; P<.001) and 95.5% of the variance (R2=0.955; P<.001) in the dependent variable (health behavior change) can be explained by the independent variables (PPM factors). Conclusions In general, mHealth apps are found to be more effective when they are based on theory. The presence of PPM factors in an mHealth app can greatly influence the likelihood of health behavior change among users. So, we suggest mHealth app developers consider this to develop efficient apps. Also, mHealth app developers should consider providing health information from credible sources and indicating the sources of the information, which will increase the perceived credibility of the apps among the users. We strongly recommend health professionals and health organizations be involved in the development of mHealth apps. Future research should include mHealth app users to understand better the apps’ effectiveness in bringing about health behavior change.

BACKGROUND With the availability of handy mobile devices and high-speed internet, much information in the field of health, wellness and fitness is now more accessible to the public. People of almost all age groups use mhealth apps (Mobile health applications) to know about common diseases and their symptoms, medicine uses and side effects, diet plans and calculates BMI to keep them fit, etc. Obesity is considered as a growing threat to our society, especially for kids. Mobile apps related to obesity are available in large numbers. The potentials of such obesity-related mobile apps have to be investigated for better understanding of these apps, for using them in an effective way and for their influencing behavioural change on the users. There are prevalent studies on health & fitness apps in general but studies rarely focused on a particular health issue related apps. OBJECTIVE Thus the aim of the study is to explore the potentials of obesity-related apps. METHODS The content analysis method was adopted to analyze the contents of the top 35 obesity-related mhealth apps. A framework based on Precede-Proceed Model (PPM) was used to explore the chosen apps. The three factors of PPM model are a pre-disposing factor, enabling factor and reinforcing factor. RESULTS The analysis resulted that 26% of the apps satisfied all the variables of pre-disposing factor, only 3% of the apps satisfied all the variables of enabling factor and 6% of the apps satisfied all the variables of reinforcing factor. CONCLUSIONS Entirely only 9% of the apps taken for the study satisfied the maximum variables of PPM to influence the health behavioural change of the app users. The researchers strongly recommend health professionals to involve in the development of obesity-related mhealth apps rather than some third-party developers. Lastly, a few suggestions regarding how users can adapt an obesity-related mhealth app were provided.