Assessing the Efficacy of Smartphone Calorie Calculator Application on Body Composition With and Without Intervention
Condition: Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Over nutrition has led to an increasing overweight and obese population. Maintaining a
      calorie deficit can be difficult causing many patients to be unsuccessful at weight loss
      attempts.

      There are many smart phone applications that are labeled as weight loss aids, MyFitnessPal™
      being one of these applications. MyFitnessPal ™ assists users to help record calorie intake
      to maintain a balanced caloric intake and to avoid over nutrition

      Primary Hypothesis: This study is testing the hypothesis that subjects using a smart phone
      calorie calculator with intervention will have a greater body fat percentage loss in 8 weeks
      when compared to the control group.

      Secondary Hypothesis: Subjects using a smart phone calorie calculator with intervention will
      report improved self-body image in 8 weeks.
    

Detailed description: 
      All subjects will read and sign an informed consent prior to participation in the study. The
      proposed study will be conducted at the Academic Health Care Center of the New York Institute
      of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (Old Westbury, NY). Subjects will have 2
      testing days where they will have to come into the Academic Health Care Center .

      This study will consist of 30 participants and will last 8 weeks. Inclusion criteria will be
      male and female NYIT students between the ages of 18-35, a BMI ≥ 25.0, and own their own
      smart phone. All subjects will have their body composition measured, blood pressure, and
      pulse measured before and at the end of the study.

      Participants will be randomly assigned by gender into two groups. Group one, the control
      group, will consist of 5 males, and 5 females. Group two, the intervention group, will
      consist of 10 males, and 10 females. At the start of the study both groups will have blood
      pressure, and pulse recorded, along with a duel x-ray absorptiometry body scan to measure
      resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition (lean body mass, body fat, BMI). At that
      time both groups will also receive the "NYC My Plate Planner", and the "USDA Dietary
      Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020".

      Both Groups will be instructed to use the MyFitnessPal smart phone weight loss application to
      record calorie intake based on their resting metabolic rate determined by the body scan.
      Additionally both groups will initially receive a validated confidential survey on body
      image. The control group will not be contacted again until the end of the 8 weeks study. The
      intervention group will be contacted every week by email to discuss their weekly calorie
      intake, and compliance with the program. At week 4 each person in the intervention group will
      receive a phone call to discuss their calorie intake, and address any problems, or concerns.
      At the end of week 8 both groups will receive a follow up validated confidential survey on
      body image. At that time both groups will also return for a follow-up blood pressure
      recording, pulse recording, and body composition scan to measure resting metabolic rate and
      body composition (lean body mass, body fat, BMI).
    

Intervention name(s): Web based diet application
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): This group will be asked to record their diets for 8 weeks after being told an approximate calorie goal. This group will receive weekly emails with tips on how to eat healthy
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: This is a randomized parallel design study
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment