Effectiveness of the Snackability Smartphone Application to Improve Quality of the Snack Intake, General Diet Quality, and Weight Among College Students

Snackability Trial

The Snackability was a two-arm, 12-week randomized control trial among 272 overweight college students. Participants were equally randomized to the intervention group (access to the app) or control group (no access to the app). Diet and weight were assessed at baseline, at 4 weeks, at 8 weeks, and at 12 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Diet, Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Snackability app; Behavioral: Control group

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 272
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Miami, Florida, United States, 33199
      • Florida International University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 24 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Overweight or obese college students-
• Aged 18-24 years
• Owner of a smartphone with Android or iOS platforms with access to an internet connection to use the app
• Willingness to participate in a clinical trial of 3 months and complete assessments at baseline and every 4 weeks at home

Exclusion Criteria:

• Nutrition students
• Enrolled in a weight loss and/or nutrition program
• Taking medications known to influence weight
• Pregnant or breastfeeding

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Snackability app; This app allows user to search for a snack (scan barcode or type snack name), add a portion size consumed based on a portion size guide, and then provide a snack score and breakdown scores with a specific feedback message about the score.25 A score ranging from 0-10 points was designed taking into account the first ingredient, the nutrient standard by portion size, and the processing of foods (score ranging from -1 to 1 was subtracted or added depend on processed food classification). The final score ranged from -1 to 11 points. The higher the score, the more compliant it is to the guideline; therefore, the healthier the snack is. The app also provides gamification features as self-motivation (level up and achievement gained) and reporting features as goal-setting and self-monitoring (average daily score and consumed snack history).	Behavioral: Snackability app; This app allows user to search for a snack (scan barcode or type snack name), add a portion size consumed based on a portion size guide, and then provide a snack score and breakdown scores with a specific feedback message about the score.25 A score ranging from 0-10 points was designed taking into account the first ingredient, the nutrient standard by portion size, and the processing of foods (score ranging from -1 to 1 was subtracted or added depend on processed food classification). The final score ranged from -1 to 11 points. The higher the score, the more compliant it is to the guideline; therefore, the healthier the snack is. The app also provides gamification features as self-motivation (level up and achievement gained) and reporting features as goal-setting and self-monitoring (average daily score and consumed snack history).
Placebo Comparator: Control group; The control group received a 1-page with information on what is a healthy snack from the USDA: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks. They were given access to the app after the 12-week study period.	Behavioral: Control group; The control group received a 1-page with information on what is a healthy snack from the USDA: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks. They were given access to the app after the 12-week study period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in general diet quality	The change in diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015, which was calculated from three 24-h recalls (2 on weekdays and 1 during the weekend) collected at baseline and 12 weeks.	12 weeks
Change in snack quality	The change in snacks consumed was recorded from the 24-h recalls collected at baseline and again at 12 months. For each snack consumed at each time point, a score was calculated using the Snackability scoring system.	12 weeks
Change in snack patterns	The change in snack patterns was assessed by responses to the survey about intake of snacks completed at baseline and 12 weeks	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in weight	The change in weight was measured between weight measured at baseline and weight measured 12 weeks later	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Florida International University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 15, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 15, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): July 15, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 31, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 12, 2023
• Last Verified: April 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 20-0275

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

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