Just in time for those New Year’s resolutions, Lifesum, a Swedish health tracking app, will now be available to Google Assistant users. This integration will allow users to keep a record of their meals, water consumption and weight by talking to their Google Assistant. 

Users can access the system by saying “Hey Google, talk to Lifesum,” according to a press release. Once opened the user can tell Google Assistant about their water consumption and meals, including size. All of that information will then be entered into the app automatically. 

The system is designed to personalize advice to users based on their goals and life system and ask for updates on their progress. The targets can be daily; for example, how many more calories can the user eat that day in order to stay within their goals. 

The platform also gives users challenges, which can be as simple as cleaning out a certain type of food from the kitchen, according to a release. 

“People are leading increasingly fast-paced and busier lifestyles, so we wanted to offer a fun, innovative and time-efficient solution to help users track their food and water intake using just their voice,” Henrik Torstensson, CEO and cofounder of Lifesum, said in a statement. “We have a strong human tendency to avoid doing things that cost your brain energy and time and just maintain the status quo, and so using voice as a tool makes tracking much easier and simplifies the user’s journey towards a more healthy lifestyle. With our Challenges we set a low bar for our users and hold their hand as we slowly raise it. The reward of accomplishing these daily actions has a lasting, positive impact on people’s self-confidence and reinforces healthy behaviors.” 

Why it matters 

Obesity impacts close to 40 percent of adults in the US, according to the CDC. The condition can lead to other health implications including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The CDC notes that obesity related health conditions can also lead to an increase in medical expenses.

What's the trend 

Fitness trackers and calorie counters have been around nearly as long as the digital health industry. For example, Weight Watchers launched its mobile app in 2009. Since then, several big names in the field have come to the surface including Lose It! And Suggestic. There are even more trackers like Livongo that help people with specific conditions zero in on diets that would help their health. 

Lifesum is not new to the digital health game. In 2014 the Swedish startup raised $6.7 million in funding led by Bauer Media Group and SparkLabs Global Ventures. This was followed by a $10 million funding round in 2016 led by Nokia Growth Partners.