Goldmend Health

Journal · Evenly · Wellbeing

Hide the number: when seeing less helps

Why Evenly lets you weigh in without seeing your weight, and who it is for.

For some people, a number on the scale can set the mood for the whole day. Evenly is built so you never have to see one.

Three ways to see your weight

  • Number: your trend weight and today’s reading, with plain-word context.
  • Trend only: the direction in words and the chart, without the daily number.
  • Hidden: no number and no chart. Evenly saves your weigh-in and thanks you.

You can switch in one tap on the Today screen, and change it whenever you like.

Why we built this

Research on weight apps suggests design matters. In a qualitative study of 16 women with a history of eating disorders, participants described how weight and diet apps could feed into harmful behaviours, though their use was complex. A 2023 expert review of ten free weight-loss apps found some passively allowed drastic weight loss and others actively encouraged it through design.

Some scale makers offer similar modes. We have not seen studies proving they reduce harm; we include Hidden mode because it gives people control.

Who uses Hidden mode

People in recovery with a care team, people anxious about numbers, people tracking a pregnancy with their doctor, and anyone having a hard week.

Sharing with a carer or doctor

In Hidden mode you can create a private code for a carer, dietitian or doctor. They see your weigh-ins on a private page; you keep seeing nothing. You can stop sharing at any time.

Kind design, everywhere

Evenly never uses red or green for "good" or "bad" days, never keeps streaks, and never sends "you gained" messages. If your trend drops very fast, we check in gently and point to help.

If thoughts about food or weight feel hard right now, please talk to a doctor. In Singapore, SOS is available on 1767, 24 hours a day. In an emergency, call 995.

Sources

  • Expert evaluation of free weight-loss apps, Frontiers in Computer Science, 2023. doi.org/10.3389/fcomp.2023.1215588
  • Qualitative study of 16 women with a history of eating disorders on their use of weight and diet apps (full reference to be confirmed before publishing).

This article is general information, not medical advice.

From Evenly, the Goldmend Health app for your body. Learn more

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