FoodSwitch: Can a smart phone app help consumers switch to healthier food choices? A Pilot Study.
Journal Title: National Journal of Research in Community Medicine - Year 2017, Vol 6, Issue 0
Abstract
Background: The national burden of diseases determined by diet related life-styles of the population is on the rise in the past two decades. Two third of consumers visiting supermarkets own a smart phone and use of mobile apps is high among educated youth and adults in India. The George Institute of Global Health and Bupa Australia, developed FoodSwitch India app and launched in India, in December 2015 with the aim to support healthier food choices. Objective: This study aims to 1. Determine the willingness of the consumers to use FoodSwitch smartphone application to make healthier food choices. Materials and methods: This is an experimental-intervention study conducted during May-June 2016 in 10 different supermarkets in the sub urban region of Chennai, of Tamil Nadu. As a pilot study, 50 consumers with smart phones arriving at supermarkets with the intent of purchasing food products were included in the study after obtaining written informed consent. They participated in the study by downloading FoodSwitch app on their smartphones after demonstration by the researchers and used it for their purchases. Results: 46% of the study participants are of 18-28 years, 54% are females. 88% are graduates and 28% are professionals, 20% are house-wives. Only 12% of them choose food products using nutritional label. Overwhelming majority of them (98%) are not aware of the app called FoodSwitch. 76% of them feels that the FoodSwitch app is very easy to use.56% expressed willingness to use this app regularly in future. Conclusion: This study revealed awareness about FoodSwitch app is low among consumers and only half of them are willing to use regularly hereafter. This is a relatively small sample and hence further studies are required.
Authors and Affiliations
Sree T Sucharitha, Jarasruthi Muruganantham
Keywords
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