Dangers of Fitness Trackers for Patients With Eating Disorders
Although the impact of fitness trackers on clients with eating disorders has not yet been well studied, anecdotal evidence and some early research suggest these applications may be detrimental. People with restrictive eating disorders frequently obsess about the number of calories they are consuming and burning. Many health apps emphasize tracking the ingestion and expenditure of calories. In addition, they encourage the user to reduce intake, increase energy expenditure and set increasingly extreme goals, all behaviors that are consistent with eating disorders. In one study of people with eating disorders, 75% of participants reported using My Fitness Pal, a calorie-counting mobile app that allows users to track and input their daily food intake. Of these users, 73% believed the app had contributed to their eating disorder.
Eating Disorder Recovery Apps
On the other hand, there are also several eating disorder recovery apps that may be helpful to people with eating disorders. Some of these applications embody or support principles of evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). One particularly important feature that some apps provide is self-monitoring, which is also a hallmark of CBT for many mental disorders. In the treatment of eating disorders, self-monitoring involves recording food consumed along with accompanying thoughts and feelings. App-based self-monitoring offers several advantages over paper monitoring. While fitness apps and eating disorder recovery self-monitoring apps both incorporate tracking, each differs in focus. Fitness apps primarily track numbers and data, such as caloric intake. Eating disorder recovery apps, on the other hand, are concerned more with tracking the thoughts and feelings associated with eating than with the specific amounts. This distinction is significant. Below is information about two of the more popular eating disorder apps that include self-monitoring.
Recovery Record
A 2014 study by Jurascio and colleagues found Recovery Record to be the most comprehensive eating disorder treatment app on the market. It contains features including self-monitoring, personalized coping strategies, social connections, and a portal to connect with the user’s clinician. It also contains components of cognitive-behavioral based interventions. Users can enter food, thoughts, feelings, and urges to use compensatory behaviors. The app offers assistance with coping strategies and goal setting in addition to the ability to set reminders. Additional features include meal planning, rewards, affirmations, and the potential to connect with others. The app also allows therapists to monitor their patients’ use of the app. Although many patients find this feature an added benefit, some may feel it’s intrusive.
Rise Up & Recover
Rise Up is another popular and well-regarded app. Rise Up has a comparable self-monitoring feature that allows for recording of daily meals and snacks, emotions, and “target behaviors” such as bingeing and purging. The app encourages the use of coping skills during times of distress. Users can share motivational quotes, images, and affirmations. They can access additional information sources such as music, podcasts, articles, and a treatment directory. The app can also export meal data to share with members of the user’s treatment team.
What to Look for in an Eating Disorder Recovery App
Apps come and go. Depending on when you read this, the suggestions above may no longer be state of the art or available. Finding an app with the right features is more important than any specific title. We offer the following suggestions on what to look for:
A Word From Verywell
Remember that an app is not a substitute for treatment. It is always a good idea to discuss the use of an eating-related app with your treatment team. In addition, keeping track of eating habits with a hand-written food log or diary can help you to better understand your current unhealthy patterns in order to promote change.
