PortionSize Study 1 Laboratory-based Evaluation)

The Reliability and Validity of the PortionSize and MyFitnessPal Apps (Study 1: Laboratory-based Evaluation)

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

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dietary Habits

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.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 43

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Louisiana
    • Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, 70808
      • Pennington Biomedical Research

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy participants ages 18 to 70 in the Baton Rouge, LA area.

Description

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 Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Difference in Simulated Energy (kcal) Intake Between the Criterion Measure (Weighed Food) and Two Smartphone Apps (PortionSize and MyFitness Pal).	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.	2.5 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: John W Apolzan, PhD, Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Principal Investigator: Corby K Martin, PhD, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 10, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 6, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 7, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): January 8, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: PBRC 2019-062

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No