Calories Counting Using an App for Weight Loss

NCT ID: NCT04945291

Last Updated: 2021-06-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

276 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-06-16

Study Completion Date

2022-07-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This research aims to measure anew way of calories counting using a mobile app on weight loss and adherence to the mobile app. The participants should be adults who is overweight or obese and should have a smartphone with access to the internet. The participants will fill a baseline survey, take the height and weight measurements, watch a video about the use of the calories counting and app. A follow up visit will be in 4 weeks to take the height and weight measurements and fill a questionnaire. There is an option for the participants to continue with the research for additional 11 months with visit at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Obesity has been recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013. It has been alarmingly on the rise over the past two decades, especially in the MENA region. In Lebanon, 53.5% of the population is overweight and 18.16% obese. Self-monitoring, as part of behavioral interventions, is beneficial for weight loss, especially in the context of mobile application interventions. However, estimation of the food portions for proper food logging remains a challenge despite the use of databases, scales and household utensils.

Objective: To measure the efficacy of a novel 12-month self-monitoring program for weight loss and long-term adherence to the use of the application. The program entails estimation of food consumption using the hand and a mobile application (developed by the research team) that relies on evidence-based behavioral interventions.

Design: Randomized controlled trial Setting: American University of Beirut Medical Center Participants: Adults who are overweight or obese will be recruited from AUB/AUBMC staff and students and the community. Participants should be 18 years old and above and should have a smartphone with access to the internet.

Interventions: This research will be a three-armed randomized controlled trial. The first phase (I) will test three different methods of calorie counting each allocated to an arm of our trial at 4 weeks and the second phase (II) will test the long term efficacy of our method and its sustainability. One arm specific for the control group will be using a commercial mobile application called Fitness Pal (or رشاقة for Arabic preference) alone; another arm will be using the commercial mobile application Fitness Pal (or رشاقة for Arabic preference) along with the food estimation method using hands, and the third arm will be using the developed mobile application of the study along with the food estimation method using hands. Phase I constitutes a baseline and 4-weeks-visit where we will seek the participants' feedback concerning the mobile application and the hand counting method. Phase II: participants who are motivated to continue using the mobile applications and self-monitoring will be followed up to a period of one year.

Follow up visits will take place at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months following the start of trial to assess for any change in participant's weight and adherence to the use of the mobile application and counting method.

Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome of phase I will be the satisfaction with the counting method and mobile app mobile application rating and satisfaction with the various application features. The primary outcome of phase II will be the difference in the percentage of participants who achieved weight loss of 5% of their baseline weight among the three groups at 3 months, 6 months, and weight loss of 10% of their baseline weight at 12 months post-intervention.

Secondary outcomes include (1) a decrease in weight in Kg from baseline at 1,3,6 and 12 months; (2) a decrease in waist circumference in cm from baseline at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, (3) frequency of logging in days, (4) adherence to the use of the application. In addition, demographics characteristics, self-regulation and internal motivation of the participants will be explored whether they affect any of the primary and secondary outcomes

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Weight Loss

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

three- armed randomized controlled trial
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
The participants will know the application they are using; the outcome assessor will be blinded to the user app when they fill the questionnaire and take the height and weight measurements

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

research built JA Method mobile application + Counting method using the hands

The participant will watch a video that explains a new counting method using the hands and use the research built mobile application to log and track the calories

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

New way of counting calories using the hands

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The participants will learn how to estimate the portions and calories content of food using their hands as a measurement tool;

Mobile applications

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

the participant will use a mobile application to log their calories

FitnessPal mobile application (or Arabic alternative) + Counting method using the hands

the participants will watch a video that explains a new counting method using the hands and they will be asked to use a commercial mobile app to log and track the calories

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

New way of counting calories using the hands

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The participants will learn how to estimate the portions and calories content of food using their hands as a measurement tool;

Mobile applications

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

the participant will use a mobile application to log their calories

Fitness Pal Mobile Application (or Arabi alternative)

The participants will watch a generic video about the mobile app and they will be asked to use a commercial mobile app to log and track the calories

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Mobile applications

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

the participant will use a mobile application to log their calories

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

New way of counting calories using the hands

The participants will learn how to estimate the portions and calories content of food using their hands as a measurement tool;

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Mobile applications

the participant will use a mobile application to log their calories

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Should have a smartphone with access to the internet
* BMI more than 25 (overweight or obese)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

American University of Beirut Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Jumana Antoun

Associate Professor of Family Medicine

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Jumana Antoun

Hamra, Beyrouth, Lebanon

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Lebanon

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Jumana Antoun

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +9613486509

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Jumana Antoun

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

SBS-2021-0041

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id