More people reportedly have access to mobile phones than to clean water, according to the nonprofit Tides Center that runs openmhealth.org. Assuming this is true, the implications of “mHealth” — the electronic management of health care through mobile devices — could be far reaching. Wondering what mHealth is exactly? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines it as “the use of mobile and wireless devices to improve health outcomes, healthcare services, and health research.”

Sound unlikely? Not really. Chances are you already manage some aspect of your care using mHealth. If you’ve ever downloaded an app like “Calorie Counter” to see how many carbohydrates those daily peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches account for or if you’ve ever been online to see if it’s OK to yank out your daughter’s loose front tooth, then you’ve discovered what it is that comprises mHealth.

Like it or not, the time for retailers to adopt a mobile strategy is over. Shoppers are using smart phones and mobile devices for all manner of shopping activities, including price comparison, product information, local inventory lookup, reviews, and more. Retailers are striving to improve their mobile shopping experience to meet the demands of today’s connected consumer.

Currently, 49 percent — or nearly half — of surveyed consumers learn about food through social networks, and 9 percent have downloaded a mobile food app in the past year. From tweeting about the delectable belgian waffle they just ate and discovering recipes on image-centric cooking blogs to checking into the hottest new restaurants, more food-obsessed people are turning to social media to help satiate their cravings.