PortionSize Study 1 Laboratory-based Evaluation)

Completed

Conditions: Dietary Habits

Registration Number: NCT04700904

Lead Sponsor: Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Brief Summary: The objective is to test the accuracy and user satisfaction of the PortionSize™ app and the MyFitnessPal© app during laboratory controlled test meals.

Detailed Description: Accurately quantifying food intake is vital to promoting health and reducing chronic disease risk. Food intake encompasses energy intake, nutrient intake (macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals), and intake of various food groups (e.g., fruits, vegetables), and thus reflects the nutritional status of individuals. Nutrition affects disease risk, including risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and cancer, all of which negatively affect the United States (U.S). Nonetheless, accurate assessment of food and nutrient intake has remained challenging, despite an improvement in methods. Self report methods, namely food records, are a mainstay of nutritional epidemiology research, with food recall being another popular method. These methods rely on the participant to accurately estimate portion size and, for food recall, remember what was consumed. The accuracy of these methods have been questioned and the problems with human recall have been comprehensively outlined. As a result, there remains a significant need for methods that are sufficiently accurate to provide researchers with good outcome data and to guide health promotion efforts.

The PortionSize™ app was designed by our laboratory to overcome the limitations outlined above, and to guide users to follow specific diets. PortionSize relies on users capturing images of their food selection and waste. Food intake data are immediately provided since the user relies on built in tools, including templates, to estimate portion size. However, despite promising early indications, the PortionSize app's validity has yet to be extensively tested. Determining the accuracy of PortionSize is vital before users can utilize the app to obtain immediate feedback about their food intake. We accordingly aim to test the validity of PortionSize in a controlled laboratory setting. We will also test the validity of the MyFitnessPal© app, which is similar to an electronic food record.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 43

Inclusion Criteria

Male or female, age 18-70 years
Body mass index (BMI) 18.5 - 50
Ownership of an iPhone model 6s or later, which the participant is willing to use for the study
Access to Apple ID, password, and email address and willing to use them in the course of the study
Willing to use data and any accompanying charges as part of study participation
Willing to be re-contacted for future research and/or follow-up

Exclusion Criteria

Center employee
Any condition or circumstance that could impede study completion

Study & Design

Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Difference in Simulated Energy (kcal) Intake Between the Criterion Measure (Weighed Food) and Two Smartphone Apps (PortionSize and MyFitness Pal).	2.5 hours	The outcome variable was the difference between the criterion measure (directly weighed foods from a simulated lunch meal) and two apps: PortionSize and MyFitnessPal. The outcome measure for the PortionSize app was calculated as: energy intake values from PortionSize minus energy intake values from weighed foods. The outcome measure for the MyFitnessPal app was calculated as: energy intake values from MyFitnessPal minus energy intake values from weighed foods.

Secondary Outcome Measures