Many Americans are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, but unfortunately for some, it’s a tricky habit to get into and maintain. Luckily, as the health trend continues to grow so too is the technology that helps facilitate such healthy habits.
FoodThink recently found that 1 in 10 consumers now use smartphones or tablets to find health-related information. That number is even higher among Millennials, nearing 2 in 10. Also, FoodThink found that 24 percent of Americans track their daily calorie consumption.
Why might consumers use tech to track their fitness and eating? The reasons lay below.
- Accountability – Tech devices are making it easier to track progress, stick to goals, and stay accountable.
- Socialization – Being able to share progress, encourage or even challenge others builds a sense of camaraderie that makes it harder to create bad-habit excuses.
- Gamification – Many tech devices essentially turn maintaining a healthy lifestyle into a “game,” where participants can track their goals or even earn points toward achievement badges. These tech devices make tracking health goals fun, engaging, and, ultimately, entertaining.
Here are just a few of the more interesting new health-related apps and devices that have become popular with consumers:
Misfit Flash – A sporty fitness tracker that measures how you move and sleep. When synced to a smartphone, it helps you design a lifestyle that fits your health goals. Unlike some fitness wearables, the Misfit Flash is waterproof, so it can be worn while swimming. And it doubles as a rather stylish watch.
Lose It! – An app that helps you set a daily calorie budget, track your food and exercise, and follow course on a designated goal. The most interesting feature is the app’s database of branded nutrition, granting the ability to scan the barcode for adding nutritional facts to your log. It also connects to devices, such as the Misfit Flash.
Prep Pad – A product by the Orange Chef, this smart food scale measures the nutritional value of non-barcoded foods, such as fruit and nuts. It’s perfect for knowing the nutritional value of homemade meals.
HAPIfork – An electronic fork that helps you monitor and track your eating habits. Monitoring how frequently you raise the fork to take a bite, it alerts you when you’re eating too fast so that you can slow down and evaluate your food intake.
The merging of technology and healthy lifestyles is a growing opportunity for marketers in the food industry. Making nutritional facts available on popular apps is a simple way to increase brand exposure. It also simplifies the tracking process for consumers and makes your brand a comfort spot during a difficult transition. For some, choosing between a meal from brand A and brand B could come down to which is easier to input into an app.
Tracking, building, and maintaining healthy eating habits is not an easy process, but technology and brands are doing their part to ease the pain. Download FoodThink’s latest white paper, “Our Plight to Eat Right,” for more insights on how to connect with health-focused consumers.
- Technology Mobile and Digital
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