FatSecret is a MHealth app for self-monitoring food, physical activity and weight. A bar scanner helps track packaged foods. Nutritional intake (Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate) is included in nutritional analysis. Calories expended through exercise and body weight is also provided. FatSecret also displays the data by meal and snack eaten so that the provider can view meal patterns. For consumers and patients, it also has library of recipes, journals, groups and forums. FatSecret Professional allows clinicians to view patient tracking information online and view data using various visual summaries. Providers will receive a daily email summarizing calories, fat, carbs, protein, exercise and weight for all patients/participants who tracked their data the day before. Providers can use the app to write encouraging or informational messages to their patients. Both can be used on smartphone (iPhone or Android), tablets and/or web.

This was useful in my clinical practice as a dietitian because it provided one platform where I could view all of my patients food intake. It summarized the data for a quick and easy summary and it allowed me to provide feedback on their food records which increased engagement between provider and patient in-between sessions.

How to use FatSecret Professional app: Go to https://professional.fatsecret.com/index.html and sign up for free account. Invite, through email, the participants/patients you want to self-monitor. Separately, ask them to sign up for their free FatSecret Account at: https://www.fatsecret.com/.

Study reference: Turner-McGrievy GM, Wilcox S, Boutté A, et al. The Dietary Intervention to Enhance Tracking with Mobile Devices (DIET Mobile) Study: A 6-Month Randomized Weight Loss Trial [published correction appears in Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017 Dec;25(12 ):2156-2157]. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017;25(8):1336–1342. doi:10.1002/oby.21889