Smartphone interventions to promote sustainable food choices

This chapter explores how smartphone applications can effectively promote sustainable food choices through various behavior change strategies and user engagement techniques. We examine different categories of nutritional apps—from shopping planning to reflection apps—and analyze their core functionalities in supporting sustainable eating practices. The chapter delves into key behavior change techniques, including providing recommendations, goal setting, self-monitoring, prompts and cues, and feedback systems. Special attention is given to user profiling strategies that consider socio-demographic, psychological, and behavioral characteristics to enhance intervention effectiveness. The discussion extends to adaptive interventions, particularly just-in-time adaptive interventions, which dynamically adjust to user needs and responses. Finally, we explore how gamification elements can boost engagement and motivation. While smartphone applications show promise in promoting sustainable diets through personalized interventions, challenges regarding privacy, ethics, and behavioral tracking intrusiveness need careful consideration for future development.