Mobile Fitness Apps in Promoting Habit Formation: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Mobile fitness applications are increasingly used to promote health behaviors; however, their role in supporting long-term habit formation remains underexplored. Objective: This systematic literature review aims to examine how mobile fitness apps contribute to the development and maintenance of health-related habits, particularly in promoting physical activity and diet management, and to identify the motivational mechanisms and design strategies underlying sustainable behavior change. Methods: A systematic search and analysis of relevant studies were conducted, focusing on behavior change techniques (BCTs). A conceptual framework was developed to synthesize the findings. Results: The review identified a growing trend toward personalized and adaptive design strategies in mobile fitness apps. However, implicit, context-aware interaction strategies were found to be underutilized. While mobile fitness apps demonstrated potential in supporting habit formation, ethical concerns related to passive data collection emerged as a challenge.