business
Nutrition apps can help build healthy habits. For some users, their gaming features carry risks
Summary by The Odessa Editorial Desk Associated Press , as published by Odessa American (oaoa.com)
· June 30, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: Odessa American (oaoa.com) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Odessa Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Associated Press, as published by Odessa American (oaoa.com) Original story Read at the source Source published Jun 30, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
Every story comes with a passport. How we work · Corrections log
Key points A psychologist at Flinders University in Australia is studying the impact of digital dieting behavior and has found that calorie tracking can reinforce harmful behaviors. Nutrition apps are using gaming features to encourage users to build healthy habits.
Nutrition apps are using gaming features to encourage users to build healthy habits. These features include trophies and colorful engagement tactics to motivate users. Apps like MyFitnessPal and Noom have incorporated these features to keep users engaged.
Researchers are now raising concerns that these gamification features may have negative effects on some users. A psychologist at Flinders University in Australia is studying the impact of digital dieting behavior and has found that calorie tracking can reinforce harmful behaviors.
Further details on the potential risks of gamification in nutrition apps are available from the source, including research findings and expert insights.
More business Today’s briefing Local events
Why this matters
Local business news drives decisions about where to shop, where to invest, and where to apply for jobs. The Odessa covers openings, closings, expansions, and economic shifts because each one ripples through the community.
About this story
As published by Odessa American (oaoa.com) . The Odessa surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit Odessa American (oaoa.com) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: business Published: June 30, 2026 Source: Odessa American (oaoa.com) Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Nutrition apps are using gaming features to encourage users to build healthy habits. These features include trophies and colorful engagement tactics to motivate users. Apps like MyFitnessPal and Noom…
When was this published? This article was first published on June 30, 2026 by Odessa American (oaoa.com) and curated for The Odessa readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Associated Press at Odessa American (oaoa.com). To learn more about how The Odessa selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more business coverage from The Odessa, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More business →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter
