Sustainable and AI-Enabled Adolescents and Youth-Centred Interventions to Upgrade Food Choices and Promote Healthy, Sustainable Diets (STAY-UP)

March 31, 2026 updated by: Hatice Merve Bayram, Istanbul Gelisim University

AI-Supported, Context-Aware Digital Nudging Intervention to Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Improve Dietary Sustainability Among Adolescents and Young Adults (STAY-UP)

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported, context-aware digital nudging intervention designed to reduce ultra-processed food consumption and improve dietary sustainability among adolescents and young adults. The intervention utilizes real-time behavioral data, including image-assisted dietary logging and contextual information, to identify high-risk consumption moments and deliver personalized, non-coercive nudges. The study will assess changes in ultra-processed food intake, contextual consumption patterns, and sustainability-related dietary indicators.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study investigates the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported, context-aware digital intervention targeting ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption among adolescents and young adults. UPF consumption has been identified as a major contributor to non-communicable diseases and is associated with significant environmental impacts. However, existing digital nutrition interventions largely rely on static, nutrient-based approaches and do not adequately capture real-life behavioral contexts.

The intervention integrates image-assisted dietary logging, contextual data collection (including time, location, and social setting), and explainable artificial intelligence to identify high-risk moments of UPF consumption. Based on these insights, the system delivers adaptive, personalized digital nudges designed to support healthier and more sustainable food choices without restricting user autonomy.

The study follows a controlled evaluation design to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Primary outcomes include changes in context-specific UPF consumption patterns, while secondary outcomes include overall dietary quality, sustainability-related indicators (such as environmental impact proxies), and user engagement metrics.

This research aims to provide evidence for scalable, ethically governed digital health interventions that integrate behavioral science, nutrition, and sustainability within real-life settings

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

1000

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adolescents aged 12 to 25 years
  • Ownership of a smartphone or regular access to a digital device
  • Ability to use the digital intervention platform
  • Willingness to provide informed consent (and parental consent where applicable)
  • Regular consumption of ultra-processed foods at baseline

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of medical conditions requiring a specific therapeutic diet
  • Participation in another dietary or behavioral intervention study
  • Severe cognitive or psychological conditions that may impair participation
  • Inability to use digital tools or applications

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention group (artificial intelligence-supported, context-aware digital nudging intervention)
Participants receive an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported, context-aware digital nudging intervention designed to reduce ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption. The system uses real-time dietary and contextual data to deliver personalized behavioural prompts.
Behavioral: Artificial intelligence-supported digital nudging
A context-aware digital intervention delivering personalized nudges based on real-time dietary behavior and contextual data to reduce ultra-processed food consumption.
No Intervention: Control group (Digital platform without nudging)
Participants have access to the digital platform without active nudging components. No personalized behavioural prompts are delivered.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in ultra-processed food consumption (servings per day)
Time Frame: From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in ultra-processed food consumption, expressed as servings per day, assessed using dietary intake data collected via a digital dietary assessment platform (food diary-based tracking system). Consumption will be quantified based on reported frequency and portion size.
From baseline to 10 months and 20 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in frequency of ultra-processed food consumption (times per day)
Time Frame: From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in the frequency of ultra-processed food consumption, expressed as times per day, assessed using a digital dietary tracking platform (food diary-based system).
From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in proportion of ultra-processed food consumption (% of total intake)
Time Frame: From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in the proportion of ultra-processed food consumption, expressed as percentage of total dietary intake, derived from dietary tracking data collected via a digital dietary assessment platform.
From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in temporal eating patterns (eating occasions per day and timing)
Time Frame: From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in temporal eating patterns, including number of eating occasions per day and timing of meals, assessed using time-stamped dietary records collected via a digital dietary tracking platform.
From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in context-specific dietary behaviours (categorical variables)
Time Frame: From baseline to 10 months and 20 months
Change in context-specific dietary behaviours, including eating location and social context, assessed as categorical variables using data recorded via a digital dietary tracking platform.
From baseline to 10 months and 20 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Istanbul Gelisim University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Elena Milli, PhD, Polo Europeo della Conoscenza - Istituto Comprensivo di Bosco Chiesanuova
  • Study Chair: Stefano Cobello, PhD, Polo Europeo della Conoscenza - Istituto Comprensivo di Bosco Chiesanuova

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 16, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 31, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 31, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STAYUP-IGU-2026-CT01

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

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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