Study finds fitness apps may cause feelings of shame in users

The study identified 58,881 posts related to five widely used fitness apps.

A new study has revealed that fitness and calorie-tracking devices may contribute to feelings of shame among users who fail to meet their set health goals.

Researchers from University College London and Loughborough University used artificial intelligence to analyse thousands of posts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to assess users’ emotional responses to popular fitness applications.

The study identified 58,881 posts related to five widely used fitness apps. Researchers then filtered these posts to focus on expressions of negative emotions, resulting in 13,799 posts highlighting adverse psychological reactions.

Findings suggest that users often reported feelings of “shame” when logging unhealthy food choices, “frustration” due to frequent app notifications, and “disappointment” when unable to achieve their fitness targets.

Experts noted that while such apps are designed to promote healthier lifestyles, they may also unintentionally contribute to psychological pressure and emotional stress in some users.