Commercially available mobile health applications for obesity across the lifespan: a systematic search and quality assessment
Authors' conclusion
The findings indicate a moderate quality level of commercially available MHAs for obesity treatment, with significant deficits in data protection and safety, content, therapeutic value, inclusion of established treatment components, and scientific evidence.
Study context
- Population
- Commercially available mobile health applications (MHAs) for obesity treatment1,220 apps identified
- Participants
- 21 participants
- Outcome
- App quality on the German Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS-G): Engagement, Functionality, Esthetics, Information, Therapeutic Gain
Methodological detailsApple App Store and Google Play Store, two-stage screening, two independent raters, MARS-G
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Two-stage screening
- Two independent raters
- MARS-G
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MARS-G quality ratings
- Overall quality (moderate), M = 3.31, SD = 0.50
- Information subscale, M = 2.74, SD = 0.65
- Therapeutic Gain subscale, M = 2.39, SD = 0.70
Further findings
Target age group
- MHAs explicitly targeting children or adolescents
- 0
Privacy and safety
- Notable deficiencies, particularly absence of active confirmation of privacy policy and/or terms of service and lack of integrated emergency features
Inclusion of all components of evidence-based obesity treatment guidelines
- MHAs with all components
- n = 5 (23.8%)
Published evidence for effectiveness
- MHAs with published evidence
- n = 2 (9.5%)
Original publication
Commercially available mobile health applications for obesity across the lifespan: a systematic search and quality assessment. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 5 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →