A
calorie counter is a
software application or device that can be used to record and evaluate a person's daily diet in terms of nutritional values such as
calories,
macronutrients and
micronutrients.
Body weight and physical activity may also be monitored.
Development Manual "calorie counting" is based on nutritional calorie tables in book form and on the
nutritional information on product packaging. With the advent of smartphones, "calorie counter"
apps have simplified the process. The smartphone camera captures the
barcode of a product and the nutritional information is provided from a database. Smartphone apps have made counting calories extremely easy. Users can now scan a barcode or enter the name of a food to get its nutritional information. Apps like
HealthifyMe use
ICMR data to provide accurate information and personalized diet plans.
Features The user records every food eaten, including the quantity, in order to determine their total calories and nutrient intake and compare them with their target. They can enter their current body weight into the app every few days and later draw conclusions about the effectiveness of their
diet. To record calorie consumption, the apps can connect to the interfaces of third-party
fitness trackers, access the phone's activity
sensor or record activity manually. Applications without registration are more secure in this respect, but have no server-based data
backup.
Available evidence A
Cochrane meta-analysis (2024) of 18 studies with a total of 2700 people showed that there was little or no change in participants' weight after two years. Effects on well-being and quality of life are low or non-existent. The apps performed just as well as personal
coaching, "no app" or "usual care". However, the evidence is still very weak and a large number of studies have been announced or are ongoing. ==See also==