Calorie counting apps are among the more popular apps on mobile devices, yet almost all of
them require the user to create an account, store data about their body and their food on the
provider's servers, and make money from advertising or subscriptions. Because this is health
data, which enjoys special protection under data protection legislation, in this thesis I built my own Android app for tracking calorie intake.
I first reviewed how such apps work, how the recommended daily calorie intake is calculated,
and what happens to the user's data. I then compared four widely used apps in terms of how
many features they offer, where they store data and how they make money. Finally, I built my
own app in Android Studio. It is written in Kotlin, keeps all data on the phone, needs no
account and no internet connection, and contains no advertising. The daily goal is calculated
using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. The app is a simpler, more private alternative to the
commercial apps available in mobile app stores.
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