using technology to promote healthy eating & active living

Using Technology to Promote Healthy Eating & Active

Living

Here’s the scoop: Keeping fit is a modern

day dilemma.

More and more people are seeking ways to improve the quality of their health and physical condition – But feel too busy with work, family, social commitments, & just LIFE!

Experts say a healthy lifestyle is dependent at least in part on 4 basics that help a person prevent & control chronic disease: Not smoking Eating a balanced diet Getting physical activity Controlling weight

*Surveyed 153,000 adults in all 50 states. *While many of the people did well in one or more categories, only 3% met the requirements of all 4.

So what does the 97% put the blame on?

Thanks to modern luxuries, it has become much easier to live a comfortable lifestyle.

The downside of this is that we tend to exercise LESS and consume MORE food.

Making the ConnectionToday’s “Fit” apps have made

health a priority & have found a way to connect it to the type of technology that millions of people are using every single day.

Regina Benjamin, M.D. began the ‘Healthy App Challenge’ to challenge developers to create apps that provide tailored health information & empower users to engage in & enjoy healthy behavior.

Stay on track with a daily calorie budget!

Find products that are healthy, green & socially responsible!

You are one workout away from a good mood!

Scan, See, & Select to

YOUR Health!

What can we learn from these apps?

Importance of buying local, fresh foods

Keeping track of what you’re eating can be tough, but “Food Scanners” via mobile cameras are as handy as ever

Food Log: simply writing down what you eat is enough to reduce food intake

What else can these apps do for us? Virtual Training Partners

“I have trouble working out by myself because I either get bored easily or stressed because it's hard for me to just casually work out”?

Going the distance with other people always helps. App users build lasting friendships through the camaraderie of fitness.

Accountability is key! Find/Add your friends to help each other along the way to healthy eating & active living.

…Compete, Explore!

Track, Compare…

Amp your workout!

Just push play &

GO!

Other devices - GPSTo most of us, the GPS watch is a running tool with a view to better performance.

GPS can be extremely beneficial as a navigation tool, or for the tracking of one’s exercise and fitness level.

Many GPS sport watches not only track your total exercise, but accurately tally total calories burned in a training session

Critique: Value of Technology

 It’s about the user, not the technology.

This is not only because health is a part of everyone’s lives, but also that a person’s health is probably the most personal aspect of his/her life.

Health is something that we each can say it truly is “all about me.” 

Thus, people need to understand what these new products and platforms mean to them.

Empowerment

Let’s take advantage of these mobile

apps & technological

gateways & allow them to aid us in losing weight and

eating right.

Hopefully in time, [& with exposure]

mobile technologies will call attention to how apps truly

can improve our lives.