Article Critique Worksheet

Article Critique Worksheet

Provide the full reference for the article using APA format. In addition to the reference note, please provide the link to the article in the GCU library.

Solbrig, L., Jones, R., Kavanagh, D., May, J., Parkin, T., & Andrade, J. (2017). People are trying to lose weight dislike calorie counting apps and want motivational support to help them achieve their goals. Internet interventions, 7, 23-31.

Describe the health issue that is the focus of the article. Summarize the intervention used as a health promotion or health behavior change intervention.

The obesity epidemic is growing steadily across the world, and currently, not a single country can reverse it. So the health issue that is addressed in this article is obesity. According to WHO obesity is the energy imbalance between calorie expanded and calorie consumed. So this article explores the epidemic of obesity by using a mobile app that helped them to monitor their calorie intake, weight loss and maintain weight loss.

Identify the methodology used in this study.

In this article six focus groups were selected from the public pool of people who were interested in participating in the study. The participants were given mobile phones with the weight loss app. The participants were motivated by giving incentives, and also they communicated with each other through the app to motivate each other.

Assess the organization and focus of the study materials.

The focus of the study material is the obese patients of United Kingdom and also the school going children due to their lifestyle, eating habits and use of mobile phones.

Evaluate whether the argument presented in the study is understandable and justify your point of view with supporting evidence. Is the argument or presentation understandable?

The argument that is presented in this study is that mobile phones are easily accessible; therefore the healthcare policymakers are now installing apps on interested people mobile phones. It is argued that most people spend their time on mobile phones, so it is easy to motivate them by introducing weight loss apps on their phones. Although it's interesting, I think that without the intervention of nurses or healthcare individuals it is not easy to keep the patients motivated. So the drawbacks are quite prominent in this article.

Identify the audience for the article and discuss whether the author included appropriate information and language for that audience.

The audience of the article is policymakers and obese patients worldwide because he used easy and understandable language and the tool that he used is also cost-effective and easily accessible. The information is not enough in this article like what were the causes of obesity in the selected population, their calorie intake and before and after results.

Describe the study results and discuss whether the intervention was successful in promoting behavior change among the individuals of that population.

As in this study, the experimental groups were provided with mobile apps to keep them motivated for weight gain control. They were kept motivated without the help of public health individuals. The mobile apps were used to control their calorie intake and to keep them motivated but it was noted that self-monitoring became boring in some of the participants and the public health workers had to intervene in such situation. It was also noted that when the participants communicated and shared their weight loss achievement with other app users, then they got motivated too but for a short period.

Discuss the applications, recommendations, or implications the author offers based upon the study results.

The author wants to make a point by saying that weight loss is not attainable without the intervention of public health strategists. To motivate obese people, the policymakers should design some apps in mobile phones because everyone has a personal phone and with the help of the apps, the users can monitor themselves, their calorie intake and physical activity. Although the approach becomes boring with time, the apps should be user-friendly and fun to motivate the users. But his point is that such even introducing apps nurses should also play their role by encouraging obese people to exercise.

Discuss whether you believe the article is relevant and useful to public health. Justify your ideas with supporting evidence.

This article is relevant to public health because obesity is becoming endemic with no proper treatment. Therefore, there should be a proper way to solve this problem. The approach that is used in this article is very effective because we all own cell phones and if we have the tool to weight loss or control in our pockets then it can be of great help to obese people.

Discuss whether there was information missing from the study if shortcomings are identified, including discussion of information that should have been included. Justify your ideas with supporting evidence.

The study is not comprehensive. For example, it is stated in the study that by sharing weight loss stories on the app some of the participants gave motivation to other users but it isn't stated anywhere in the study that how many participants lost motivations while using the app. What were the before and after results of the study? And what parameters were taken for the patients who later stop using the app? Also, the study is failed to identify the target groups, the complete information about gender and age of the participants is not given.