Popular fitness and calorie-counting apps are causing some users to experience shame, disappointment and demotivation that could undermine their health goals, according to new research from University College London and Loughborough University.
The study, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, analysed 58,881 posts on Twitter relating to the five most profitable fitness apps using AI-powered analysis. Researchers identified 13,799 posts containing negative sentiment, revealing several concerning themes about user experiences.
Users reported feeling ashamed when logging “unhealthy” foods, irritated by persistent notifications to track calories or reduce sugar intake, and disappointed by slow progress towards algorithm-generated targets. In some cases, these negative experiences led to complete disengagement from the apps and abandonment of health goals.
The research team used Machine-Assisted Topic Analysis, combining AI-powered topic modelling with human qualitative analysis, to process the social media data at scale. Most analysed posts (8,464) referenced MyFitnessPal, with Strava and WW (formerly Weight Watchers) accounting for 2,264 and 2,902 posts respectively.
Technical faults and data loss
Key problems identified included the complexity of accurately tracking calories, with apps lacking the necessary personalisation. One user highlighted the inability to log breastfeeding, an activity that can burn significant calories. Technical faults and data loss also frustrated users.
More concerningly, some users reported receiving potentially dangerous recommendations. One individual was told to consume negative 700 calories a day to reach their goal.
The study found that app-generated goals were not based on public health recommendations like NHS guidelines for daily calorie intake, but instead dictated by users’ weight goals, potentially leading to unrealistic or unsafe advice.
Researchers observed that rigid goal-setting could trigger avoidant behaviours. When users failed to meet targets or lost their activity “streak,” some reported complete disengagement, with posts mentioning going back to unhealthy eating patterns.
The team also found evidence that measuring activities decreased users’ enjoyment of them. One Strava user achieved a personal best half-marathon time but focused their social media post on disappointment that it wasn’t recorded in the app.
“When health is reduced to calorie counts and step goals, it can leave people feeling demotivated, ashamed, and disconnected from what truly drives lasting wellbeing,” said corresponding author Dr Paulina Bondaronek of University College London. “Using AI alongside human analysis, we were able to shed light on these often-overlooked impacts by centring the voices of real users.”
The researchers called for fitness apps to move away from rigid calorie counting and exercise quantification towards a more holistic approach focusing on overall wellbeing and intrinsic motivation. The researchers emphasised that their study only examined negative posts and could not assess the overall impact of fitness apps.
