Method
Researchers selected one of several major APPs related to health and fitness, one of which is currently popular among young people for research. (See Table 1) ) . Researchers observe how these apps are embedded in the lives of young people and intervene in their daily life and health practices ) .
The four apps selected represent the most popular trends and preferences in various health fields such as running, fitness, diet, sleep, etc., each with its own characteristics. The running circle, which specializes in running, conveys the concept of “running is pleasant”, which can accurately record and guide users to run; in 2015, it has reached 63 million users, 20,000 registered running circles, and users covering 2100 cities [18] . The fitness app Keep is based on the slogan “give me self-discipline” and aims to solve the problem that users with fitness needs do not get professional guidance; its registered users have exceeded 200 million [19], becoming the largest sports social platform in China. Mint Health incorporates more aspects of life into its own management scope, which can record diet, weight, circumference, exercise, physiological period and other healthy living habits; the APP claims to include the largest and most authoritative food and nutrition database in China And become the choice of 80 million weight-loss users. Sleep Town is an app that monitors sleep, and is dedicated to cultivating users’ healthy sleep habits in a simple and fun way (building a virtual house); its fun makes it very popular among young people.
Combining the characteristics of each APP, this study interviews users of different APPs to understand their purpose, experience, feelings, and effects of using these APPs. In addition, the researchers observed the virtual communities of these APPs online (including the virtual communities embedded in the APP and its online posts) , recording the users of these platforms Discussions and interactions, and analyze their experiences and feelings about the app. At the same time, researchers have personally experienced various APPs to understand their functions and usage methods. In this study, data from multiple sources are checked and supplemented to ensure the validity of the data.
Three research findings: out of control and control, imbalance and rebalance
1. Coping with uncontrolled and unbalanced living conditions
As the main labor force and builder of society, the youth group is in the struggle stage of life. Faced with a rapidly changing social environment, a multitude of study and work affairs, a fast-paced life in big cities, a relatively solid social class, and a gradually narrow upward mobility space [20], young people bear a lot of pressure. Words and phenomena such as “empty nest youth” [21], “mourning culture” [22], “invisible poverty” [23], “buddhist youth” [24], “hollow disease” [25] and so on reflect the youth group Collective anxiety. Academic anxiety, dissertation anxiety, employment anxiety, etc. have become the norm for young people. On the other hand, the entertainment choices of youth groups in the Internet era are more abundant, and games, TV series, novels, etc. have become an indulgent interest of many young people. Under the dual influence of stress and “temptation”, many people often stay up at night in their daily lives, unable to eat a healthy diet regularly, and have no time to exercise. In addition, in the face of a high-pressure life, many people choose to temporarily make up for it after a period of hard work through binge eating, crazy make-up, and playing overnight. These lifestyles have caused many young people to suffer from imbalances in life, sub-health, and mental depression, and often live in a state of out of control and imbalance.
In this case, APPs for people’s life management came into being and became popular among the majority of youth groups. Among the healthy APP users we studied, a prominent phenomenon is the use of APP to help manage the often out of control and unbalanced living conditions.
“The weight increases, and then the skin starts to become not so good, and the daily life is not so good. The whole person is more anxious. Later, I feel that it is not right. I hope I can adjust it.” (Interviewee 13)
“This (using APP) timeline is consistent with my exercise, diet, and sleep disorder timeline. (using APP) Want to strengthen exercise, lose weight, don’t be late. “ (Interviewee 8)
“School work and rest affects daily affairs, especially learning, and it also has an impact on the mind and body. I want to change my former life and have this Sleep Town.” (Respondent 11)
Users mentioned that in order to achieve or restore their physical and mental stateBody and lifestyle, determine whether they are normal or sick, and then “improve” their daily actions based on data provided by smart devices. APP quantifies the body teaching by self, on the one hand, it creates the pleasure of self-control, and on the other hand, it substantially reshapes people’s daily life and actions.
Secondly, the “body teaching” guides the body to practice in a “scientific” way. In this process, APP not only spreads scientific knowledge like a health education machine, but also plays the role of a coach or expert, providing professional knowledge. And guide users.
The development of many APPs is to provide “professional” guidance in response to the needs of the public. For example, Keep starts from the problems that people may encounter in their daily fitness. Too busy, no time to go to the gym; no personal education guidance; too many online strategies I do n’t know if it ’s true or false) , according to the user ’s scene, fitness purpose, equipment availability, etc .; Many running guides tell runners what materials to wear, how to choose running shoes, how to warm up, etc. The diet management app can record weight, query food calories, make dietary arrangements, transfer cooking knowledge, and provide information on healthy weight loss. And the APP adjusts the recommendation plan according to the user’s personal situation, and has an exercise plan specifically for different occupational groups, such as “health classes for working sedentary people” and “reduction of fat in one square meter of dormitory”. These APPs provide users with professional and personalized guidance through services such as sports lesson plans and smart nutritionists.
The APP not only incorporates a series of professional scientific knowledge, but its real-time recording and reminding functions also actively urge users like coaches. Interviewees mentioned that after downloading Mint Health, they would query and record calories when eating or picking snacks, and would give up the idea of supper after seeing the calories that have been consumed that day. The joy running circle reminds users of the mileage, duration and pace of running, so that they can adjust their rhythm at any time and run more target. These APPs not only urge users in action, but also give users a positive hint psychologically, “with a sense of ritual of striving upward” (Interview 8) .
Furthermore, the fun of various APPs is very appealing to users on the senses. It encourages users to voluntarily accept the supervision of APPs and follow the scientific knowledge provided by APPs for self-management. For example, in order to urge users to sleep and wake up according to the set time, virtual town rewards the behavior of observing the rest time, and the collapse of the house punishes the behavior of not observing the rest time. With this set of incentives, it helps users to quit bedtimep>
App’s social sharing not only makes fitness and healthy life fun, but also provides young people with weak social networks with social support from virtual communities. In the APP’s virtual community or online post bar, users share sports performance, exchange experiences, and mutual supervision with other like-minded netizens; stories and photos of other people can inspire users; sports experience, nutrition and health knowledge, and attention shared on the platform Issues guide users to implement their own exercise or diet plan; users also recruit partners who exercise, diet, and monitor each other on these platforms.
“It’s really hard to discipline yourself. Are there any friends who cheer and supervise each other?” (From Keep’s post)
“ (Joy running circle) I feel a little help you get started in the professional runners, and also have more confidence to communicate with professionals . A feeling of becoming a runner. “ (Interviewee 28)
Through the social functions of the health and fitness app, young people can meet like-minded friends, enrich their social life, and gain a sense of group identity and belonging. The homepage of Yuepao circle says “Do n’t underestimate the feeling of spiritual communication between you and runners every distance of one kilometer.” The mint health homepage says “Student Party, Office Worker, Spicy “Mom, the beauty of tens of millions of users”; Keep also has exercisers cheering each other during use. These settings make APP users feel “not alone in fighting” and can better persist. In addition, APP can transform online interaction into offline communication. For example, runners can run or join local running groups through the APP virtual platform, thereby expanding the user’s existing social network.
In addition, the social nature of APP can also strengthen and extend the existing social connections offline. Many interviewees tend to post their sports information and diet on established social networks. Smaller ones are posted to parents, couples, close friends, and large ones are posted on WeChat friends or QQ space. Because this kind of social sharing is a social activity for acquaintances, it has a stronger restraint and incentive function, and at the same time can meet the needs of realistic social connections.
“I did it with my friends, and I will know if they sleep well, motivate each other, it will enhance the relationship, and icing on the cake.”
“I believe that exercise can make each of our lives better”; “I hope that I can change myself through exercise. I hope that when 70 years old, I can still run, climb mountains, and do yoga”. (quoted from Keep Post)
“Well running will increase your endurance. After the endurance is increased, there is a certain connection between the persistence and tenacity of things, and there is a certain connection in this aspect of organizing work and study.” -remarks “label =” Remarks “> (Interviewee 13)
APP allows individuals to better manage their lives, and users gain direct physical optimization through fitness, exercise, diet and sleep management. These changes also provide individuals with a better mental state to deal with matters in life. Respondents mentioned that endurance and determination tempered by exercise or regular exercise can help individuals to do other tasks, and that moderate exercise and regular schedule make work and study more efficient. As body shape and life change, users also strive to build new identity images. Physical changes bring about a change in self-image, while external impression decoration requires social presentation.
The accumulated sports and fitness data, food catering, sleep schedules, etc. used in the APP serve as a symbol to express a healthy sports image. Displaying these data and trajectories, and even pictures of body results after exercising or controlling your own diet, help users establish a positive image of loving sports, healthy life, and self-discipline. In the promotion of various APPs, publicity is also emphasized, such as donating steps for charity and “walking for love” activities, so that users’ personal health and fitness behaviors are integrated into a greater social significance. Personal self-management has begun to show good self-discipline, persistence, and positiveness through APP and social platforms.Like.
As a self-technology, APP delivers a set of ethical discourses that allow people to continuously self-renew, and strive to shape a better self and achieve an ideal life. In short, health and fitness apps have introduced a healthy concept and a young and active lifestyle in various ways, attracting many young people. APP assists individuals to manage their body and life. By improving their posture and encouraging their spirits, they bring changes in self-image and external impressions to users. In the overall life, they also help users achieve better self and bring people self. Ascension, empowerment and liberation.
3. Uncontrollable situation and the generation of new anxiety
However, health and fitness apps do not always solve the problems and anxieties of young people. It has many limitations in assisting individuals in managing their body and life, and may put individuals in new and uncontrollable situations. .
(1) Structural restrictions
APP assists individuals’ self-control and makes “professional” knowledge readily available. This seems to empower individuals, but in fact further transfers health responsibility to individuals. It conveys a set of self-responsible moral discourses, advocating individuals to take responsibility for their health and life. The APP promotes that individuals can achieve a healthy and beautiful body through their efforts. However, many factors affecting health and lifestyle are beyond the control of the individual.
“It can be said that it has been compromised, because on the one hand there is not so much time, on the other hand, sometimes there is time, and there is no place to go.” “> (Interviewee 13)
“Sometimes I had to stay up late, it was very uncomfortable to sign off. So I uninstalled it, and it felt like (Sleep Town) didn’t give me a sense of accomplishment, only frustration …. Demolishing a house. Demolishing a house doesn’t always feel good. “ (Interviewee 7)
Individual use of APP will face many objective restrictions: no suitable sports place, lack of exercise time, conditions for preparing a healthy diet, having to stay up all night under the pressure of work and school, etc. APP cannot change the objective environmental and social structural factors that affect health. When the objective factors cause the individual to fail to achieve the goal, the APP instead puts more pressure on the individual and even dispels the enthusiasm of the user. The use of APP has therefore becomeThe basis for evaluating premiums. Using sports data in the future, insurance companies and company cooperation may even affect people’s employment opportunities in specific industries, insurance provision and fees at work, and so on. The APP continuously collects personal data and information, which exposes users to the risk of privacy leakage. This kind of risk not only stays in the virtual space, but may also pose a threat to the safety of users ’personal property in the real world:
“I ’m worried about safety. For example, I can see other people ’s running routes and distance from me. Because I just use it to measure speed and understand myself, I I did n’t take the initiative to send my message above, and I was worried that bad people would notice my schedule, and that something would endanger my safety. ” (By Interviewer 9)
(4) Seductive consumption and new anxiety
The management of health, fitness, and life was originally in line with the concepts of self-discipline, frugality, and consumption restrictions; but commercial apps are constantly stimulating consumer demand and putting users in a tempting situation. At first, the app was free for users and had no barriers to entry. With the expansion and development of the user scale, more and more services that require payment were started to be embedded. Almost every health app involves profit points such as recharge members, shopping malls, sports courses, “online personal education”, smart nutritionists, insurance services, etc. The products sold in the mall include clothes and shoes, light meal replacement meals, health products , Hardware equipment, etc. The APP launches a variety of products that continue to stimulate consumer spending and allow more people to purchase products and services embedded in the APP.
“ (on the app) spent a lot of money.” (Interviewee 6)
“Open the (APP) community every day … it’s a bunch of diet pills, diet creams, and meal replacement powders. … “ (quoted from Keep Post)
In operation, the APP constantly stimulates the desire and consumption of users, but may put users into new uncertainties. And with consumption