App · Medium risk
Is Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal from age 13 and up. Overall risk 4/10 (medium risk).
- 5-8
- This app is not designed for children in this age group and should not be used by them, as it focuses on adult nutrition tracking.
- 9-12
- The detailed calorie and macronutrient tracking features of MyFitnessPal are not appropriate for this age, which needs to develop a healthy relationship with food without excessive focus on numbers.
- 13-15
- Teenagers in this age range might use the app to track their diet, but the emphasis on calorie counting can contribute to unhealthy body image or disordered eating patterns.
- 16+
- Individuals 16 and older might use the app responsibly for fitness goals, but should be aware of the potential for obsessive tracking and the social features that allow connections with others.
MyFitnessPal is a comprehensive health and fitness app that allows users to track their food intake, exercise, and weight. It features a large food database and community support.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 4/10
- Violence
- 1/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 4/10
- Stranger contact
- 5/10
- Addiction risk
- 7/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Influence
- 7/10
What parents should know
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is an app designed for tracking food intake, exercise, and weight, primarily for adults. While it can be a tool for health goals, its focus on detailed calorie and macronutrient counting can be detrimental to developing a healthy relationship with food, particularly for adolescents. Parents should be aware of the app's social features and the potential for obsessive tracking or body image issues.
What to do about Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal that mean it is time to step in.
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal?
Parentwise puts Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal at 13+. We advise Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal from age 13 and up. Overall risk 4/10 (medium risk). Violence scores 1/10, language 2/10, stranger contact 5/10 and addiction risk 7/10.
Can a 10 year old use Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal?
Not by default: we advise Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. The detailed calorie and macronutrient tracking features of MyFitnessPal are not appropriate for this age, which needs to develop a healthy relationship with food without excessive focus on numbers.
Can a 12 year old use Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal?
Not by default: we advise Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. The detailed calorie and macronutrient tracking features of MyFitnessPal are not appropriate for this age, which needs to develop a healthy relationship with food without excessive focus on numbers.
Can a 13 year old use Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal (13+). Teenagers in this age range might use the app to track their diet, but the emphasis on calorie counting can contribute to unhealthy body image or disordered eating patterns.
Is Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal appropriate for kids?
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is an app designed for tracking food intake, exercise, and weight, primarily for adults. Parentwise rates Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal overall as medium risk (4/10), with stranger contact at 5/10 and addiction risk at 7/10.
Is Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal family friendly?
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal sits in the middle: fine with settings changed and an occasional check-in. While it can be a tool for health goals, its focus on detailed calorie and macronutrient counting can be detrimental to developing a healthy relationship with food, particularly for adolescents.
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is an app designed for tracking food intake, exercise, and weight, primarily for adults. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (5/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (7/10).
Is Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal safe for kids?
We advise Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal from age 13 and up. Overall risk 4/10 (medium risk). While it can be a tool for health goals, its focus on detailed calorie and macronutrient counting can be detrimental to developing a healthy relationship with food, particularly for adolescents.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.