Design and Implementation of a Mobile App for Promoting Healthy and Sustainable Eating Among Students at the University of Parma (MAPHealthS)
NCT ID: NCT06977802
Last Updated: 2025-07-30
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
60 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2024-11-04
2025-04-29
Brief Summary
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Does the use of the educational mobile app increase daily fiber intake among students?
Does the app improve adherence to sustainable and healthy diets (e.g., Mediterranean and Planetary diets)?
What are the effects of the app on physical activity levels, anthropometric measures, and the environmental impact of participants' diets?
Researchers will compare the intervention group (using the app) to a control group (no intervention) over a 12-week period, including a 6-week active phase and a 6-week follow-up phase.
Participants will:
Download and use the app (intervention group) or follow no intervention (control group) for 12 weeks.
Complete dietary assessments (24-hour recalls, food frequency questionnaires), provide urine and fecal samples, and undergo anthropometric measurements at multiple time points.
Wear actigraphs (a subgroup) to measure energy expenditure.
Answer questionnaires on dietary habits, physical activity, and app usability.
The study expects to see a significant increase in fiber intake (7g/day) and improved sustainability awareness among app users.
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Detailed Description
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Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
Intervention group (n=30): Uses a tailored mobile app (MAPHealthS) with nutrition education, meal planning, and sustainability tips.
Control group (n=30): No intervention.
Key features:
Blinding: Single-blind (outcome assessors may be blinded; participants are aware of group allocation).
Data collection: Dietary intake (24h recalls, FFQs), biomarkers (urine/fecal), anthropometrics, and actigraphy (subgroup).
Primary outcome: Change in daily fiber intake (g/day).
Secondary outcomes: Diet sustainability scores, physical activity, body composition, and environmental impact.
PREVENTION
NONE
Study Groups
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Intervention
Intervention: Participants use the UNIPLATE mobile app, a tailored educational tool designed to promote healthy and sustainable eating.
Features: Daily nutrition/sustainability tips, meal planning, recipe suggestions (prioritizing plant-based foods), gamified challenges, and progress tracking.
Delivery: 6-week active phase with daily app notifications, followed by 6-week follow-up (no notifications).
Tailoring: Content adapts to baseline food-related psychobehavioral profiles (assessed via questionnaire).
Support: Developed with input from nutritionists, psychologists, and computer scientists (University of Parma).
Digital Nutrition Education Mobile App for Healthy and Sustainable Eating
This intervention is uniquely characterized by:
Dual Health-Sustainability Focus - Unlike most nutrition apps targeting weight loss, this integrates planetary health metrics (e.g., carbon/water footprints) alongside dietary guidance.
Psychobehavioral Personalization - Content is tailored to four predefined user profiles (e.g., "Convenience-Seeker," "Health-Conscious") identified through baseline questionnaires, adapting messaging strategies (e.g., time-saving tips vs. environmental appeals).
Biomarker-Validated Outcomes - Unlike apps relying solely on self-reports, efficacy is assessed via objective measures (urinary LC-MS metabolomics, fecal microbiota analysis).
Academic Development - Designed by nutrition scientists + AI engineers (University of Parma), with recipes aligned to Mediterranean/Planetary Diet standards
Control
Intervention: No app or active intervention; participants maintain habitual dietary behaviors.
Monitoring: Completes identical assessments (dietary recalls, biomarkers, anthropometrics) as the intervention group.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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Digital Nutrition Education Mobile App for Healthy and Sustainable Eating
This intervention is uniquely characterized by:
Dual Health-Sustainability Focus - Unlike most nutrition apps targeting weight loss, this integrates planetary health metrics (e.g., carbon/water footprints) alongside dietary guidance.
Psychobehavioral Personalization - Content is tailored to four predefined user profiles (e.g., "Convenience-Seeker," "Health-Conscious") identified through baseline questionnaires, adapting messaging strategies (e.g., time-saving tips vs. environmental appeals).
Biomarker-Validated Outcomes - Unlike apps relying solely on self-reports, efficacy is assessed via objective measures (urinary LC-MS metabolomics, fecal microbiota analysis).
Academic Development - Designed by nutrition scientists + AI engineers (University of Parma), with recipes aligned to Mediterranean/Planetary Diet standards
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
No self-reported:
* Chronic diseases (diabetes, metabolic disorders)
* Eating disorders
* Use of medications for hypertension/dyslipidemia
* No antibiotic/probiotic use in past 4 weeks
* Not following prescribed diets or meal plans
* Not pregnant/lactating Signed informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
Self-reported:
* Chronic diseases (diabetes, metabolic disorders)
* Eating disorders
* Use of medications for hypertension/dyslipidemia
* Antibiotic/probiotic use in past 4 weeks
* Following prescribed diets or meal plans
* Pregnant/lactating
Not signed informed consent
18 Years
30 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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University of Milano Bicocca
OTHER
University of Parma
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Francesca Scazzina Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Principal Investigators
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Francesca Scazzina
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Università di Parma
Locations
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Plesso Biotecnologico Integrato
Parma, PR, Italy
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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UNIPLATE
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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