McCaig, Duncan, Elliott, Mark T., Prnjak, Katarina and Meyer, Caroline (2020) Engagement with MyFitnessPal in eating disorders : qualitative insights from online forums. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53 (3). pp. 404-411. doi:10.1002/eat.23205

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Abstract

Objective
Using calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking technologies is concerning in relation to eating disorders. While studies in this area typically assess one aspect of use (e.g., frequency), engagement with a device or application is more complex. Consequently, important relationships between the use of these technologies and the eating disorder symptomatology might remain undetected. The current study therefore used comments from online eating disorder‐related forums to generate comprehensive qualitative insights into engagement with a popular calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking application, MyFitnessPal.

Method
First, we extracted every comment mentioning MyFitnessPal made on three eating disorder‐related forums between May 2015 and January 2018 (1,695 comments from 920 commenters). Then, we conducted an inductive thematic analysis using these comments to identify important aspects of engagement with MyFitnessPal.

Results
The analyses resulted in three themes: Preventing misuse, describing ways in which MyFitnessPal attempts to prevent pathological use and actions taken by users to circumvent its interventions; Accuracy, outlining distrust of MyFitnessPal's accuracy and ways in which perceived inaccuracy is reduced or compensated for; and Psychosocial factors, comprising cognitive, behavioral, and social factors that influence, or are influenced by, engagement with MyFitnessPal.

Discussion
The qualitative insights provide a detailed overview of how people with high levels of eating disorder symptomatology likely engage with MyFitnessPal. The insights can be used as a basis to develop valid, quantitative assessment of pathological patterns of engagement with calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking technologies. The findings can also provide clinicians with insight into how their patients likely engage with, and are affected by, these devices and applications.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure H Social Sciences > HM Sociology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Psychology Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School Faculty of Science > WMG (Formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Eating disorders, Physical fitness -- Monitoring -- Equipment and supplies, Activity trackers (Wearable technology) -- social aspects, Online social networks
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Eating Disorders
Publisher:	John Wiley & Sons
ISSN:	0276-3478
Official Date:	March 2020
Dates:	Date Event March 2020 Published 25 November 2019 Available 11 November 2019 Accepted
Volume:	53
Number:	3
Page Range:	pp. 404-411
DOI:	10.1002/eat.23205
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Publisher Statement:	"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article:McCaig, D, Elliott, MT, Prnjak, K, Walasek, L, Meyer, C. Engagement with MyFitnessPal in eating disorders: Qualitative insights from online forums. Int J Eat Disord. 2019; 1– 8, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23205. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Related URLs:	Publisher

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