Selecting Health Apps

In our new world filled with technology there is almost literally an app for everything. Want to track your calories? There's an app for that. Want to get a suggested list of exercises to complete in the gym? There's an app for that. Want to keep track of all the places you have pooped? Believe it or not, there's an app for that.

In a world filled with technology and applications it is easy to find that app that suits your health needs. The hard part lies in finding a reliable app to fit your needs. Well we are here to help you out.

Questions to ask before trusting an app

Similar to evaluating a website, there are several questions you should ask before trusting an application. Here are some suggested questions to ask.

• What is the source of the information contained in the app? Reliable applications should cite their sources, and they should be reliable sources. You may have to do a little digging but start by looking in the description section before downloading an application. Reliable apps should be obtaining their information from reliable sources. Those could include peer reviewed journals, published studies, from government or university agencies or credible medical professionals. 
• What did other people think of this application? Start by reading reviews. Customer reviews are available in the app stores. This allows you to see if users had major issues or concerns with the application. This could help with your evaluation process.
• When was the last time this application was updated? Reliable application developers should be updating the application often. This allows for the information to be up to date, new features to be added, and bugs to be fixed. If the app was recently and frequently updated, it is more likely to be reliable. 
• What is the overall look and purpose of the application? Does the app claim to do something that is too good to be true? Does it have simple spelling and grammar errors? Does it claim to diagnose, treat and cure diseases? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it would be wise to not download and trust the app. 
• What is contained in the privacy policy? Reliable applications should explicitly explain what they do with the information you enter. As a general rule they should not share your information and should not ask for money. It should explain the confidentiality policy and application securtity clearly.

Suggestions for reliable health applications

• My Fitness Pal - https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
• Fitbit - https://www.fitbit.com/app
• Health app - https://support.apple.com/en-us
• Map my fitness - http://www.mapmyfitness.com/app/
• American Heart apps (several) - https://itunes.apple.com/us/developer/american-heart-association/id441987817