Automating Dietary Expertise

The Challenge of Making a Food-Tracking App for Everyone

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3667704
AutoresGiada Danesi (0000-0002-8061-2140, University of St.Gallen, autor de correspondencia), Tanja Schneider (0000-0001-8045-4691, Technical University of Denmark)
Año2025
Volumen12
Número1
Páginas1-32
Fecha de publicación2025-03-31
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaMedicine Anthropology Theory (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2405-691X • E-ISSN: 2405-691X
EditorialUniversity of Edinburgh (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.17157/mat.12.1.9196
OpenAlexW4409159750
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas27

Digitally tracking food and eating has become a widespread activity. Scholars in anthropology, sociology and science and technology studies have problematised the personal and social implications of dietary tracking and the metrification of food and eating. Metrification has contributed to the emergence of new types of relevant expertise and new experts of eating and health. This warrants in-depth research to better understand the forming, negotiation, establishment and effects of new expertise. Drawing on a sociomaterial perspective, this article explores these questions by reflecting on the development of an automated dietary tracking and intervention app. The article focuses on seeking feedback on mock-ups and prototypes of the app from potential users and non-users in 'go-alongs' and interviews, and in focus groups. The analysis revealed that the delegation of dietary expertise to an automated system poses a challenge for many participants. They emphasised what is neglected in the process-including their dietary but also bodily and sociocultural expertise. Our study contributes to an understanding of how dietary tracking and delegating expertise to an automated system appeals to users whose food values align with metrics used in the app but also users who accept to delegate specific forms of care to the technology

Delegate · Knowledge management · Negotiation · Pedagogy · Social science · Sociocultural evolution · Sociology · Computer Science · Culinary Culture and Tourism · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods · Innovative Human-Technology Interaction · Psychology