The Use of Mobile Applications in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
TL;DR
The reviewed evidence indicates that mHealth applications can improve physical activity, dietary behaviours, weight management, and selected physiological outcomes, particularly when they incorporate goal setting, personalized feedback, reminders, gamification, and integration with wearable devices.
Abstract
Thesis. Mobile health applications can support the prevention of noncommunicable diseases by facilitating self-monitoring, encouraging healthier behaviours, and extending preventive support beyond conventional healthcare settings; however, their public health value depends on sustained engagement, reliable evidence, data protection, and equitable access. Concept. This narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed studies and reports concerning mobile applications used to address major modifiable risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. It considers applications supporting physical activity, nutrition and weight management, and the monitoring of physiological parameters, while examining their functions, documented benefits, and implementation challenges. Results and conclusion. The reviewed evidence indicates that mHealth applications can improve physical activity, dietary behaviours, weight management, and selected physiological outcomes, particularly when they incorporate goal setting, personalized feedback, reminders, gamification, and integration with wearable devices. Nevertheless, effects vary across interventions and populations, and long-term adherence frequently declines. Concerns regarding measurement accuracy, limited clinical validation, privacy and security, unequal digital access, and the geographical concentration of the evidence restrict broader implementation and generalizability. Mobile applications should therefore complement rather than replace professionally delivered prevention and should be integrated into public health systems using evidence-based, interoperable, secure, and user-centred approaches. Originality. The article provides an integrated public health perspective that connects the preventive functions of mHealth applications with the behavioural, technological, ethical, and equity-related conditions required for their responsible use in noncommunicable disease prevention. Keywords: mHealth, mobile health applications, noncommunicable diseases, disease prevention, health promotion, digital health, lifestyle interventions