Video Chat During Meals to Improve Nutritional Intake in Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT04862312

Last Updated: 2022-09-26

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 33 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2022-05-17

Brief Summary

The VideoDining study is a Stage IB behavioral intervention development project. The objectives are to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using video chat during mealtimes (VideoDining) in community-dwelling older adults eating alone at home and to evaluate changes in nutritional intake and loneliness in response to VideoDining.

Detailed Description

The U.S. population is growing older and more adults are aging at home alone, by choice, or due to a lack of affordable senior housing. Older adults who live alone have a less healthy eating pattern, eat a smaller variety of foods and consume fewer fruits and vegetables than those living with others. Additionally, eating alone, social isolation and loneliness often accompany living alone and are independent risk factors for lower caloric intake, less variety in the diet and malnutrition. Community-based interventions are needed to improve the nutritional status of older adults living alone.

VideoDining uses video chat during mealtimes to virtually eat with another person and could provide social interactions and modeling to improve dietary intake in older adults eating alone. Extensive observational and experimental research shows that people eat more when dining with others than dining alone, called the social facilitation of eating. Additionally, a dining partner's modeling of eating can provide a guide for what and how much to eat. The investigators have conducted a Stage IA proof-of-concept study of VideoDining in older adults and will expand the development of this behavioral intervention with this study.

The goals are to determine the feasibility and acceptability of VideoDining and to evaluate changes in nutritional intake and loneliness in response to multiple VideoDining sessions in community-dwelling older adults eating alone at home. In this single-arm intervention study, thirty older adult Meals on Wheels participants will be scheduled to VideoDine with a dining partner six times. Using a mixed-methods approach, the investigators will collect data on older adults' ability to VideoDine, acceptance of VideoDining, dietary intake, and loneliness. Data will be collected before starting VideoDining, after each VideoDining session, and at the end of the study period. Development, adaptation and refinement of the VideoDining intervention are additional key outcomes of this study.

Conditions

Malnutrition; Loneliness

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

VideoDine

Use of video chat to eat a meal with a dining partner.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

VideoDine

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will VideoDine with a dining partner at least six times during an eight week period. VideoDining involves sharing a meal with someone not physically present using video chat technology. Dining partners will be recruited, trained and paired with participants. Participants will be provided Amazon Echo Show devices for video chat.

Interventions

VideoDine

Participants will VideoDine with a dining partner at least six times during an eight week period. VideoDining involves sharing a meal with someone not physically present using video chat technology. Dining partners will be recruited, trained and paired with participants. Participants will be provided Amazon Echo Show devices for video chat.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Receive Meals-on-Wheels meals from Foodnet in Tompkins County, NY.

2. Aged 60-95 years old.

3. Consume Meals-on-Wheels meal alone.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Non-English speaking.

2. Unable to read and write in English.

3. Inadequate vision and hearing to utilize video chat technology.

4. Unable cognitively to independently consent and participate in the study.

5. Already own and use an Amazon Echo Show.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 95 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Foodnet Meals on Wheels

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Cornell University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Laura K Barre, MD, RDN

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Cornell Univ

Locations

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

002254837

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2011009963

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id