JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Mobile health applications are increasingly used to promote physical activity and exercise adherence, yet high dropout rates pose a significant challenge.

Objective:

This study aims to analyze training behavior, retention, frequency, and adherence patterns in users of the Mammoth Hunters fitness app, identifying key factors influencing engagement.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,771 Mammoth Hunters users. Data were collected from the app and motivational surveys, followed by data cleaning and descriptive analyses. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn’s post hoc, Pearson’s correlation) were used to assess associations between sociodemographic variables, training behaviors, motivation types, and three main outcomes: training frequency, adherence and retention.

Results:

Retention was significantly higher (p < 0.01) among males, users under subscription, ‘active’ or ‘very active’ individuals, ‘mid’ vs ‘thin’ body types, those pursuing ‘antiaging’ or ‘muscle gain’ goals, and intrinsic motivation (p < 0.02). Frequency of training was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in males,‘very active’ vs ‘inactive’ users, ‘thin’ vs ‘mid’ body types, but did not correlate with motivation type, perceived difficulty, or fitness goals. Adherence, defined as actual vs targeted training frequency, was only significantly different among body types, with ‘thin’ users showing higher adherence (p < 0.05) than the ‘mid’ group. Correlations were positive for introjected motivation and negative for intrinsic and identified motivations, though neither of them was statistically significant. Strikingly, intrinsic motivation correlated positively with retention but was not significantly associated with neither adherence nor frequency.

Conclusions:

This study highlights that retention is influenced by demographic factors, with male, subscribed, very active, mid-built individuals aiming to gain muscle, and those with intrinsic motivation displaying greater long-term participation. Strikingly, adherence seems not to behave in unison. These findings provide valuable preliminary insight into the complexities of exercise training behavior in apps. They suggest that training frequency, retention and adherence do not respond to the same factors. This should be acknowledged by app developers and physical trainers, who are encouraged to assess these variables separately and develop strategies, accordingly.