EAT: A Reliable Eating Assessment Technology for Free-living Individuals

NCT06118528 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: STU002157141R01DK129843-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 72
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study utilizes a small, privacy-conscious wearable device intended to monitor human behaviors. The device is worn around the neck, capturing the wearer's head and upper torso within its field of view, and records color images without audio. Participants visit the lab for consent, device training and recording of several activities using the device. Participants will then take the device home and wear it during their normal schedules for four "active" weeks. During each active week, participants will wear the device, keep a log of all food and drink items consumed throughout the day and participate in unscheduled phone calls with a dietitian. A "washout" week occurs in between each active week in which participants do not need to complete any study tasks. Alongside the device, we have included three privacy filters (blur, edge, and avatar) capable of obscuring faces and objects seen in the device-captured images. All participants will be subject to unfiltered recording during their first week followed by a different filter each following active week in a random order. At the start of each active week, participants view an example of what their recorded images will look like that week (given the privacy filter). At the end of the seven weeks, participants will return the device and provide the lab with feedback on the design of the device and its privacy-preserving features.

Conditions

Wearable Electronic Device

Keywords

Wearable; Electronic; Device; Behavior; Eat; Privacy; Camera; Obesity; Obfuscation; Filter; Cartoon; Blur; Raw; Edge; Burden; Wearer; Bystander; Monitor; BMI; Calories; Tool; Algorithm; RGB; Thermal; Data; Health; Chest

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Daily wear time

  7 days

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Self-report acceptability

  7 days

Study Arms (4)

Blur Obfuscation

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Blur Obfuscation

Edge Obfuscation

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Edge Obfuscation

Cartoon Obfuscation

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Cartoon Obfuscation

No Obfuscation (Raw)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: No Obfuscation (raw)

Interventions

Blur Obfuscation BEHAVIORAL

Blurring is applied to the RGB images.

Blur Obfuscation

Cartoon Obfuscation BEHAVIORAL

Cartoonization is applied to the RGB images.

Cartoon Obfuscation

Edge Obfuscation BEHAVIORAL

A black background and simple outlines of objects/people are applied to the RGB images.

Edge Obfuscation

No Obfuscation (raw) BEHAVIORAL

No editing is performed on the RGB images.

No Obfuscation (Raw)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• BMI greater than or equal to 18.5
• Chicago metropolitan area resident
• Able to speak, read and write in English
• Has a valid phone number
• Owns a smartphone
• Has access to a computer

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals
• Experienced significant weight loss/gain in the last three months (25 lbs or more)
• Diagnosed with or has a family history of genetic obesity syndromes (e.g., Prader-Willi, Bardet-Biedl, Cohen Syndrome)
• Member of household enrolled in the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northwestern University: lead
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior; Obesity

Interventions

Airway Resistance

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiratory Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Circulatory and Respiratory Physiological Phenomena

Central Study Contacts

Nabil Alshurafa

CONTACT

3125034517; nabil@northwestern.edu

Bonnie Nolan

CONTACT

3125031216; bonnie.nolan@northwestern.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2023
• First Posted: November 7, 2023
• Study Start: September 4, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)