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Accuracy of Smartphone Apps to Check Alcohol Consumption In Question

By Peter Cutforth

July 6, 2014


When we were first introduced to smartphone applications which help us keep track and calculate how much alcohol we are consuming we welcomed them because we were thrilled at the prospect of being able to be more responsible drinkers, however new research which has emerged has revealed that these alcohol apps are inaccurate. The implications of these inaccurate apps is that people are incorrectly assuming that they are drinking safely when in fact they are consuming alcohol excessively.

Researchers have warned that these alcohol apps give people a false sense of security and are in actuality promoting excessive consumption.

The revelation was made by a new Victorian study analysing alcohol-related smartphone applications. The study showed that the measures used to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was inaccurate.

The research by The Burnet Institute Centre for Population Health Research reviewed more than 380 of the most popular alcohol apps on both Apple and Android devices, the following excerpt from an article on Heraldsun.com.au explains:

The vast majority lacked scientific legitimacy, with names such as Let’s Get Wasted and Drink Thin.

The majority were entertainment apps (50 per cent), which clearly encouraged alcohol consumption, followed by BAC apps.

Lead researcher Dr Megan Lim said her research was the first to critically evaluate BAC apps, which ask users to enter data or blow on their phone to find out their intoxication level.

Dr Lim said they tested about 100 apps by entering data from participants who had been breathalysed.

In one case a male, 18, had consumed five drinks of white spirits and blown a BAC of 0.03.

“But the output we got from the apps ranged from 0.0001, which is practically nothing, to 0.91, which is way beyond a lethal dose of alcohol,” Dr Lim said.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/warning-on-dangers-of-using-smartphone-apps-to-check-alcohol-consumption/story-fni0fit3-1226714777829

One of the greatest problems associated with the apps was the variability. During the research there was no consistency even when entering identical data in the same app.

The problem with most BAC apps is that they don’t ask enough questions in order to give an accurate estimate of intoxication. Some apps don’t ask age, weight, time spent drinking etc. all aspects that affect a person’s BAC.

Some apps are so inaccurate and misleading that they are actually breathalysers where users are supposed to blow on their phone and it will give them a “reading” of their BAC, which is obviously incorrect.

The problem with these apps that most concerns researchers is that people may be using them to test their ability to drive, thereby endangering themselves and others by getting behind the wheel of car when over the legal alcohol limit.

The researchers explained that that most young people questioned indicated that they doubted the apps which is a relief, the post went on to explain:

“They were sceptical about how accurate the results would be, but I don’t think many of them realised that many of the apps were not even trying to be accurate,” Dr Lim said.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/warning-on-dangers-of-using-smartphone-apps-to-check-alcohol-consumption/story-fni0fit3-1226714777829

So the next time you have a drink, don’t put your faith in a smartphone app to measure your level of intoxication, especially not if you are planning on driving.

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