PortionSize Study 3: Assessment in Free-living Conditions

The Reliability and Validity of the PortionSize™ and MyFitnessPal Apps (Study 3: Assessment in Free-living Conditions).

The objective is to test the accuracy of the PortionSize™ app and the MyFitnessPal© app at measuring energy intake in free-living conditions, tested against the gold-standard, doubly labeled water. Participants will use PortionSize™ and MyFitnessPal apps in separate periods to test the accuracy of the respective apps.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dietary Habits

Detailed Description

We will recruit adults to use the PortionSize app and the MyFitnessPal free-living conditions. In a within subjects and randomized, counterbalanced design, the accuracy of the PortionSize and MyFitnessPal apps at estimating energy intake in free-living conditions will be tested against the gold-standard, doubly labeled water (DLW), over two non-consecutive four-day periods that should include at least one weekend day and encompass the same days of the week during each period. Participants will be trained in our clinic to use the apps prior to their use in free-living conditions. We will integrate customizable notifications and reminders to remotely prompt participants to record data, resolve data collection problems, etc. These notifications and reminders utilize Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methodology to maximize data collection protocol adherence by reminding participants to capture and send food information at relevant times.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 63

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

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

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults aged 18-62, males and females.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female, age 18-62 years
• Body mass index (BMI) 18.5-50 kg/m2
• Ownership of an iPhone model 9 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 during the study
• Willing to use data and any accompanying charges as part of study participation
• Willing to complete all study procedures and adhere to study visit timelines
• Willing to be re-contacted for future research and/or follow-up

Exclusion Criteria:

oHave been 6-month weight unstable (gain/loss >5% last 6 months) and/or active weight loss program

• Any cardiometabolic disorder that significantly affects what or how much people eat
• Active cancer diagnosis or treatment that significantly affects what or how much people eat, excluding some melanomas and other cancers
• PBRC employee, as previous reviewers argued that they are not representative of the community (
• 3rd member of the same household to participate (i.e. the 1st and 2nd members of the household cannot participate simultaneously)
• Women who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding (self-reported)
• Diagnosed with an uncontrolled thyroid disorder (controlled ≥ 3 months of medication)
• Have had or plan to have weight loss surgery (gastric band removal may be allowed at PI discretion)
• Consume >28 alcoholic beverages per week
• Anyone severely immunocompromised
• Serious digestive disorders that significantly affect what or how much people eat Fluid imbalance and/or on diuretic
• Follows a diet mainly consisting of foods that study staff deems unquantifiable for this study (i.e., liquid supplements, gluten-free specialty items) or consumes a high quantity of specialty foods
• Any condition or circumstance that, in the judgement of the PIs, couldimpede study completion

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Energy Intake (kcal)	Test the equivalence between PortionSize (and MyFitnessPal) and the criterion measure, which is energy intake assessed with DLW. These analyses will rely on equivalence testing using the Two One-side T-test (TOST) method, as well as Bland and Altman analyses.	May 2023 through February 2025

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: John W Apolzan, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 22, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 25, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): March 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 26, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 7, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): June 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Behavior, Animal; Feeding Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: PBRC 2019-063

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No