HealthyNCT07108452
Using an AI Mobile Application to Promote Healthy Eating
A study testing A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices. and Limited app version for dietary assessment only in people with Healthy, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this feasibility study is to determine the adherence, acceptability, and usability of the behavioral intervention of a mobile AI application and its effects on food choices and diet quality. A secondary goal is to assess whether the app's accuracy or feasibility differs by food security status. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 24 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices. and Limited app version for dietary assessment only
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 114 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 24 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Willing to use their smartphones with app to record all foods consumed
- UC Davis student
Who cannot join
- eating disorders
- Participant in the validation study that tested the app's accuracy against weighed food records
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
University of California, Davis - Department of Nutrition
Davis, California, 95616
Christabel A Domfe, MS, 530-752-4630, cadomfe@ucdavis.edu
About this study
Official title: Leveraging AI to Transform Dietary Choices for Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity
The goal of this feasibility study is to determine the adherence, acceptability, and usability of the behavioral intervention of a mobile AI application and its effects on food choices and diet quality. A secondary goal is to assess whether the app's accuracy or feasibility differs by food security status. Study participants are UC Davis students aged 18-24 years. The main question it aims to answer is:
- Does the gamified app version that delivers behavioral nudges have a higher adherence and acceptability rate, and does this translate to better dietary behaviors?
Participants will use either the intervention app (dietary assessment + gamification) or the control app (non-gamified, dietary assessment only) for six weeks to record all their food intake. Diet quality will be assessed at baseline and endline, and a Likert scale acceptability questionnaire will be administered at endline.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices., Limited app version for dietary assessment only
- Keywords
- artificial intelligence, Implementation science, college students, food security, diet quality
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices.Other
As a mobile application for assessing dietary intake, the app provides a daily report of food intake- a core function that both the gamified and limited app versions have. The gamified version has the added functionality of delivering behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food selections.
Limited app version for dietary assessment onlyOther
This app version provides a daily report of energy and nutrient intake- available to those randomized to the control group
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group- Gamified app version; dietary assessment + gamification | Experimental | Participants will be randomly assigned at enrollment to the intervention group, which will receive a gamified app that delivers behavioral nudges and provides a daily report of caloric and nutrient intake. Receives: Other: A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices. |
| Control group- Limited app version, dietary assessment only | Active comparator | Participants will be randomized at enrollment to the control group, which will receive a "limited" app version that only provides a daily report of caloric and nutrient intake, without delivering behavioral nudges. Receives: Other: Limited app version for dietary assessment only |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
App acceptability by version assigned to participants
Acceptability will be assessed using a structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) administered at the end of the study period.
Measured: Measured at endline: at the end of the 6 week period
App's usability by version assigned to participants
Focus group discussions will be conducted with a select group of participants to assess usability (i.e. facilitators and barriers to app usage) at the end of the study period.
Measured: Measured at endline: at the end of the 6 week period
App adherence rates by version assigned to participants
App usage adherence will be evaluated based on analytics data, with a 70% usage threshold defined for both the midline and endline assessments.
Measured: Assessed at midline (3 weeks) and endline (6 weeks)
Secondary outcomes (4)
Diet quality assessment by app version, measured using Healthy Eating Index scores at baseline and endline.
Determine changes in diet quality by app version. The Healthy Eating Index is scored from 0-100. The higher the score, the better the alignment of a diet with key recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Measured: From enrollment till study completion at 6 weeks
App usability by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
The validated USDA 10-item Food Security Survey Module will be used to capture food security over the prior 12 months and be administered at the recruitment visit. Moderation of app's usability by food security status will be assessed by including an interaction term between the app version and food security strata. Food security status is assigned as follows- Raw score zero: High food security; Raw score 1-2: Marginal food security; Raw score 3-5: Low food security; Raw score 6-10:Very low food security.
Measured: Food security assessed at baseline
App acceptability by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
The validated USDA 10-item Food Security Survey Module will be used to capture food security over the prior 12 months and be administered at the recruitment visit. Moderation of app's acceptability by food security status will be assessed by including an interaction term between the app version and food security strata. Food security status is assigned as follows- Raw score zero: High food security; Raw score 1-2: Marginal food security; Raw score 3-5: Low food security; Raw score 6-10:Very low food security.
Measured: Food security assessed at baseline
App adherence rates by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
The validated USDA 10-item Food Security Survey Module will be used to capture food security over the prior 12 months and be administered at the recruitment visit. Moderation of app's adherence rates by food security status will be assessed by including an interaction term between the app version and food security strata. Food security status is assigned as follows- Raw score zero: High food security; Raw score 1-2: Marginal food security; Raw score 3-5: Low food security; Raw score 6-10:Very low food security.
Measured: Food security assessed at baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Aug 2025
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 114 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Davis
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Penn State University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Lauren E Au, PhD, RDN, Principal investigator, University of California, Davis
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07108452
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2308774
- Other IDs
- 25ISA1474935
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 17 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Leveraging AI to Transform Dietary Choices for Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07108452
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2308774
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Keywords
- artificial intelligence, Implementation science, college students, food security, diet quality
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 114 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, DavisUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Penn State University
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this feasibility study is to determine the adherence, acceptability, and usability of the behavioral intervention of a mobile AI application and its effects on food choices and diet quality. A secondary goal is to assess whether the app's accuracy or feasibility differs by food security status. Study participants are UC Davis students aged 18-24 years. The main question it aims to answer is:
- Does the gamified app version that delivers behavioral nudges have a higher adherence and acceptability rate, and does this translate to better dietary behaviors?
Participants will use either the intervention app (dietary assessment + gamification) or the control app (non-gamified, dietary assessment only) for six weeks to record all their food intake. Diet quality will be assessed at baseline and endline, and a Likert scale acceptability questionnaire will be administered at endline.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group- Gamified app version; dietary assessment + gamification | Experimental | Other: A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices.Participants will be randomly assigned at enrollment to the intervention group, which will receive a gamified app that delivers behavioral nudges and provides a daily report of caloric and nutrient intake. |
| Control group- Limited app version, dietary assessment only | Active comparator | Other: Limited app version for dietary assessment onlyParticipants will be randomized at enrollment to the control group, which will receive a "limited" app version that only provides a daily report of caloric and nutrient intake, without delivering behavioral nudges. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 24 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Willing to use their smartphones with app to record all foods consumed
- UC Davis student
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- eating disorders
- Participant in the validation study that tested the app's accuracy against weighed food records
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices.As a mobile application for assessing dietary intake, the app provides a daily report of food intake- a core function that both the gamified and limited app versions have. The gamified version has the added functionality of delivering behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food selections. | Other | Intervention group- Gamified app version; dietary assessment + gamification |
| Limited app version for dietary assessment onlyThis app version provides a daily report of energy and nutrient intake- available to those randomized to the control group | Other | Control group- Limited app version, dietary assessment only |
Primary outcome
App acceptability by version assigned to participants
Time frame: Measured at endline: at the end of the 6 week period
Acceptability will be assessed using a structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) administered at the end of the study period.
App's usability by version assigned to participants
Time frame: Measured at endline: at the end of the 6 week period
Focus group discussions will be conducted with a select group of participants to assess usability (i.e. facilitators and barriers to app usage) at the end of the study period.
App adherence rates by version assigned to participants
Time frame: Assessed at midline (3 weeks) and endline (6 weeks)
App usage adherence will be evaluated based on analytics data, with a 70% usage threshold defined for both the midline and endline assessments.
4 secondary outcomes
Diet quality assessment by app version, measured using Healthy Eating Index scores at baseline and endline.
Time frame: From enrollment till study completion at 6 weeks
App usability by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
Time frame: Food security assessed at baseline
App acceptability by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
Time frame: Food security assessed at baseline
App adherence rates by food security status assessed using the USDA 10-item food security survey module
Time frame: Food security assessed at baseline
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Lauren E Au, PhD, RDN principal investigator
University of California, Davis
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing A mobile application that uses AI to deliver behavioral nudges that encourage healthy food choices. and Limited app version for dietary assessment only in people with Healthy, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Christabel A Domfe, MS (530-752-4630, cadomfe@ucdavis.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
App acceptability by version assigned to participants (time frame: Measured at endline: at the end of the 6 week period). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Jul 2026.