Health & Nutrition Apps for Family Fun
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PSN Team 
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Health & Nutrition Apps for Family Fun
It is no surprise that children with special needs and their caregivers juggle over-packed schedules so that eating habits and exercise can easily be overlooked. Yet, we know that nutrition and regular physical activity lead to better overall health. Research has shown that students who make healthier food choices and exercise do better academically, feel better about themselves and have more energy.
We have compiled some of our favorite health & nutrition apps for children and adults that are educational, but most importantly – fun! These apps can be modified and adjusted according to ability, making them an ideal hook for engaging kids. Use of these apps may lead to behavior change toward healthier eating and physical activity. “The point is not some radical exercise regimen or strict diet, but activities that can be incorporated into a typical week to enjoy together while practicing healthy habits,” says BridgingApps Reviewer and Registered Dietitian Cathy Foreman.
MyFitnessPal: Calorie Counter
By MyFitnessPal, Inc.
Nutrition and diet apps for mobile devices have become powerful tools for self-awareness, accountability, and monitoring dietary intake. Many of these apps have tracker capabilities that have replaced the tedious task of keeping food records by hand on paper. Leading the pack of countless nutrition and diet apps is Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitness Pal. Designed for adults, MyFitnessPal is a calorie counter and food diary app that is, by design, a fantastic tool to help with weight management goals.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Learn More: Features & Benefits
Map My Ride With GPS Tracker
By Outside Television Inc
Map My Ride GPS Cycling Riding is an easy to use bicycling app developed to track your route via GPS while you cycle. We have found that this app can also be used for those who do not or cannot go on an actual bike ride outside. Such users who have difficulty with mobility, but still enjoy cycling on a stationary/recumbent bike (or other non-bike activities) can log and share this information. Logging and sharing of information can be extremely useful for someone with mobility difficulties like hemiplegics, persons with seizure disorders and other disabilities that will not allow for traditional cycling.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Eat & Move-O-Matic
By Learning Games Lab, NM State University
Eat and Move-O-Matic is an app that teaches the classic concept of “calories in versus calories out” to explain the principles of energy balance as it affects body weight.
The number of calories consumed in various meals, snacks or beverages are highlighted on an EAT spin wheel. Next to the EAT spin wheel is a MOVE spin wheel that displays many different types of physical activity and the energy each activity burns. But, the wheels work together. When the EAT wheel identifies the total calories of a food, drink or meal, the MOVE wheel indicates the amount of time needed in various physical activities to use or “burn” those specific calories.
For young adults or teenagers needing to monitor or learn about body weight, this app is an excellent visual tool. Its use can help support the understanding of some basic concepts of nutrition, physical activity and body weight for healthier living.
Price: FREE
Super Stretch Yoga
By The Adventures of Super Stretch, LLC
Specifically designed for children, Super Stretch Yoga uses a combination of a friendly animated super hero cartoon character with videos of real children demonstrating poses. It is a great combination that makes the app nurturing, fun, and entertaining. There are twelve different poses demonstrated. Each pose has been translated into kid-friendly, animal-like moves complete with how-to instructions, focused breathing and upbeat music. It is all about fun and doing the best you can while practicing monkey, cat, cow or butterfly like moves.
Price: FREE
If you are interested in searching for more apps, creating your own list of apps and sharing them, please go to BridgingApps.org. BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, therapists, doctors, and teachers who share information about using mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, and Android) with people who have special needs.
Cristen Reat is co-founder of BridgingApps and a mother who found success when using a mobile device with her children who have special needs.
Cathy Foreman is a Registered Dietitian, a Reviewer, and involved in special health care projects with BridgingApps.
Helpful Articles
- Traveling with Special Dietary Need
- Most Popular Gluten Free/Casein Free Products and Where to Find Them
- Finding GFCF Baked Goods While You are Traveling
- Ways to Advocate for Yourself While on a Special Diet
- Focus on Color
- Taking Care of Your Child’s Special Food Needs
- Self-Advocating While on a Special Diet
- Staying Healthy with a Proper Diet
- Ditch The Chemicals Start The Year Off Healthy
- Taking Care of Your Child’s Special Food Needs
- Eating Breakfast When You Are on a Special Diet
- Family Fun Doesn’t Have to Stop Because of Special Diets
- Handling a Special Diet at School
- Special Diets: Food Allergies
- How To Achieve A Healthy You
This post originally appeared on our May/June 2015 Magazine
