EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT MONITORING IN LITERATUR REVIEW.

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Early childhood is a critical period for nutrition and developmental health. However, children in low- and middle-income countries remain vulnerable to undernutrition and developmental delays. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have emerged as scalable tools to improve caregiver knowledge and child monitoring, but evidence on their effectiveness remains fragmented. Objective: This Literatur review aimed to map and evaluate the characteristics, functionalities, and reported outcomes of mobile applications designed for nutrition education and early childhood development monitoring for caregivers of children aged 0–5 years. Methods: Following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, five databases were searched for English-language studies published from January 2019 to May 2025. Included studies featured mobile app-based interventions focused on nutrition and/or developmental monitoring, with outcomes related to caregiver knowledge, behavior change, or child health. Narrative synthesis was used to group findings thematically. Results: Of 1,240 records, 10 studies met the criteria. Interventions clustered into three categories: (1) nutrition apps (e.g., MyKid’sNutrition), (2) behavioral/developmental apps (e.g., BabyThrive), and (3) integrated tools addressing multiple domains (e.g., dietary self-monitoring apps). Most used smartphones, multimedia education, and behavior change features like goal-setting. While studies showed positive trends in knowledge and child outcomes, methodological limitations and varied outcome measures limited comparability. Conclusion : Mobile apps offer promising support for early childhood nutrition and development. Future research should focus on standardized outcomes, longer-term impacts, and culturally appropriate implementation across diverse settings.

Keywords . Early childhood development Mobile applications, Nutrition education