A Usability Testing Experiment For A Localized Weight Loss Mobile Application

This paper introduces a context-appropriate mobile application for sustainable weight loss. Overweight and obesity are acknowledged to have become a worldwide health matter. Addressing weight loss and sustaining efforts remains in many ways a fragile undertaking. Strategies will vary by age group, gender, and social context. Moreover, the cultural, traditional ecosystem will impact weight loss strategies. In this paper, we discuss contributions in the literature for technology-based weight loss support. We design a mobile application that leverages three strategies from proven behaviour change theories (increasing awareness of the aims of dieting, fostering motivation and self-efficacy, and impacting dieters' attitudes). We adapt the application to the local context of a middle easterner's society by conducting a usability testing experiment with potential users of the application. We also apply principles of localization to derive an appropriate application. Beyond the applied usage of the application, the paper contributes to the currently scarce body of literature on Arabic based mobile development. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of CENTERIS/SCIKA - Association for Promotion and Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge