Neue Studie zeigt, dass beliebte Fitness-Apps Benutzer tatsächlich demotivieren können

Article: The researchers [analyzed](https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjhp.70026) nearly 60,000 social media posts on the X platform. Data like this is especially valuable because, unlike in traditional surveys, people tend to be more honest and share unfiltered opinions online.

The posts included feedback on five popular fitness apps: MyFitnessPal, Strava, WW, Workouts by Muscle Booster, and Fitness Coach & Diet. Around 13,000 of these posts contained negative keywords the researchers were tracking, and more than half mentioned the calorie-counting app MyFitnessPal.

At first glance, this app seems to offer everything you need to stay on top of your fitness and diet. It allows users to track calorie intake, monitor proteins and carbs, and set personalized goals. Feeling too lazy to log your meals manually? You can simply import recipes or scan barcodes from food packages – the app will do the rest, and offer you guidance on what and when to eat. Sounds like working with a personal dietitian.

However, many people are not necessarily that happy about it. Senior author Dr. Paulina Bondaronek (UCL Institute of Health Informatics) explained, “In these posts, we found a lot of blame and shame, with people feeling they were not doing as well as they should be. These emotional effects may end up harming people’s motivation and their health.”

> The researchers analyzed nearly 60,000 social media posts on the X platform

Hmm. When? If it’s in the last couple years, who are these shitheads?

With all due respect this is moronic. Social media app threads attract complaints & satisfy venters. But they have little appeal for satisfied customers, and do not motivate them to post.

This „research“ lets us know what users complain about, but it does not test the hypothesis that the net effect of apps is to demotivate would-be exercisers.