There are numerous apps out there to help adults track their food consumption and lose weight, but what about an app that helps children develop healthier eating habits?
Joanna Strober joined HuffPost Life host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani to discuss the kid-friendly food tracking app she founded, Kurbo.
“Food tracking is a great way to pay attention to what you’re eating and to make healthier choices,” said Strober, “but they’re based on calories, and calorie counting is not safe for kids; we don’t want them to focus on calories, we want them to focus on eating healthy foods.”
While her own son struggled with weight issues, Struber knew it was time to create something to help him, and other kids, develop healthier eating habits.
“I needed a tool, I needed something he and I could do together that would help us make better choices in our home,” explained Strober. “I also needed to understand better what he was eating, and by the time your child is 13 you don’t actually know what they're eating when you’re not with them, so this is how he was recording it.”
Strober’s son was able to reduce his BMI and create a healthier lifestyle thanks to Kurbo’s ability to empower and coach kids to make their own decisions, while holding them accountable.
“Part of the problem that kids have is they don’t want to do what their parents tell them to do,” noted Strober. “So instead, the phone becomes the coach and we give them feedback and suggestions both live and through texting on how they can make healthier choices and do a better job of managing what they are eating.”
To hear more of the conversation, watch the full HuffPost Live segment here.