Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Nov 25, 2021
Date Accepted: Jun 5, 2022
Exploring the Acceptability, Usability and Likeability of an Artificial Intelligence-Based, Gamified Phone Application Prototype to Track and Improve Food Choices of Adolescent Girls in Vietnam: A Qualitative Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Adolescents’ consumption of healthy foods is sub-optimal in low- and middle-income countries. Adolescents’ fondness for games and social media, and the increasing access to smartphones make applications suitable to collect dietary data and influence their food choice. Little is known about how adolescents use phones to track and shape food choice.
Objective:
This study examined the acceptability, usability and likeability of a mobile phone application prototype developed to collect dietary data by an artificial intelligence-based image recognition of foods, give feedback and motivate users to make healthier food choices. The findings were then used to improve the design of the application.
Methods:
Four focus groups discussions (n=32 girls aged 15-17 years) were conducted in Vietnam. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed by grouping ideas into common themes according to content analysis and ground theory.
Results:
Adolescents accepted most individual- and team-based dietary goals presented in the application prototype to help them make healthier food choices. They deemed the overall application wireframes, interface and graphic design as acceptable, likeable and usable, but suggested the following modifications: 1) tailored feedback based on users’ medical history, anthropometric characteristics, and fitness goals; 2) new language on dietary goals; 3) provision of information about each of the food group dietary goals; 4) wider camera frame to fit the whole family food tray, as meals are shared in Vietnam; 5) possibility to digitally separate food consumption on shared meals; 6) more appealing graphic design, including unique badge designs to each food group. Participants also liked the application’s feedback on food choices in the form of badges, notifications and statistics. A new version of the application was designed incorporating the adolescent’s feedback to improve its acceptability, usability and likeability.
Conclusions:
A phone application prototype designed to track food choice and help adolescent girls from low- and middle-income countries make healthier food choices was found to be acceptable, likeable and usable. Further research is needed to examine feasibility of using this technology at scale.
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