The Main Features of Food Consumption Mobile Apps in Saudi Arabia: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Abstract Background Food consumption apps seem to be supportive digital tools for facilitating weight management and facilitating healthier eating habits. There is a wide variety of food consumption apps available; however, there is limited evidence that determines the main features of these apps. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the scope of prominent food consumption mobile apps across two commercial app stores (Apple iOS and Google Play) and to determine the main features of the apps systematically. Methods This scoping review was conducted across the Apple iOS and Google Play Stories in three steps: (1) an electronic app search, (2) the extraction of data, and (3) the analysis of app characteristics and features. Results A total of 99 apps were included, 41 (41%) of which were from the iOS store and 58 (59%) of which were from the Google Play store. Approximately 52% of the apps were rated “4.5 or less”, and 48% of the apps were rated “4.6 and above”. Most of the apps offered more than one language, 81% of which provided 1 to 6 languages, and only 10.1% of the apps offered 7 to 12 languages. We identified a total of 23 features; 29% of the apps had 13 to 18 features, 27% of the apps had 7 to 12 features, and 23% of the apps had 19 + features. In contrast, 18.2% of the apps had 1 to 6 features. Conclusions The findings of this review indicate that while a wide range of food consumption apps are available, most apps offer limited features. Therefore, there is a need to introduce unique features, such as entering food by picture or barcode scanning, food composition tables, and tracking of micronutrients, to attract more users. In addition, the number of features was shown to be associated with app ratings. Notably, high ratings may increase the app's visibility; therefore, this factor should be considered by app developers when adding desirable features in the future.