Designing Mobile Snack Application for Low Socioeconomic Status Families

Abstract

We developed four mobile phone prototype applications informed by theoretical models of behavior change to improve the snacking habits of low socioeconomic status (SES) families. Eight primary caregivers and 18 secondary caregivers from low SES backgrounds used the applications to evaluate their usability and usefulness. We found a schism between primary and secondary caregivers regarding whether the applications should be based on games, indicating a need to reconcile these differences to develop a system to support healthy family snacking. In addition, social context, understandable health abstractions, and sensitivity to health values are all important considerations when creating applications in a low SES context. This research contributes design implications for future applications intended to improve snacking habits in low SES families.

Managing obesity through mobile phone applications: a state-of-the-art review from a user-centred design perspective

“…Although incorporation of relevant theories into applications does not necessarily guarantee the success of applications in inducing changes of behaviour, there is a strong likelihood that such a system would likely be more capable in achieving this through design. For instance, in Mobile Snack, Khan et al [63] incorporated the Transportation Theories [112,13] and Precaution Adoption Process Model [114] by providing an immersive animation-based narrative that depicted the game characters' progressive life stages based on their eating behaviour. They also applied Social Cognitive Theory [115] by allowing users to view their eating behaviour history and compare themselves with other users.…”

Characteristics of Smartphone Applications for Nutrition Improvement in Community Settings: A Scoping Review

“…Interactive features, an attractive user interface, and nonrepetitive images and colors were particularly important to low-SES and youngadult populations for maintaining application engagement (73,74,77,95,98). Separate interfaces for care givers and children were valued by care givers but not children (50,77). The importance of the application being functional without an internet connection was expressed by all population groups (36,40,45,68,90,95,98), with data access particularly limited for adolescents (40).…”

“…Additionally, reports of progress based on logging commenting on overall diet quality, rather than just calorie tracking, were highly valued (38,43,93,95,(97)(98)(99). Narrative game-style applications (typically games with a character and storyline) were more appealing to adolescents than adults, and emotional and social realism were important for motivation (50,62,77,85,89). Adults and overweight populations generally valued quiz-style games if they were quick to play and included incentives such as real rewards (70,74,85).…”

“…Adults and overweight populations generally valued quiz-style games if they were quick to play and included incentives such as real rewards (70,74,85). Competition, team participation, and social interaction motivated engagement with applications across all population groups (48,50,77,78,80,90,99), but negative scoring of points was not well understood by low-SES populations (77). Young adults in particular emphasized that social networking and sharing must be voluntary and not automatic (65,93,98,99).…”

“…Interactive features, an attractive user interface, and nonrepetitive images and colors were particularly important to low-SES and youngadult populations for maintaining application engagement (73,74,77,95,98). Separate interfaces for care givers and children were valued by care givers but not children (50,77).…”