Eating Disorders, Health Behavior, Mental Health Wellness 2
Conditions
Brief summary
College women are at risk for eating disorders, which have profound health impacts. Cross-sectional studies have shown that the use of dietary self-monitoring is associated with eating disorder risk among college students. However, causality cannot be established with cross-sectional studies. This study utilizes a randomized controlled trial design to examine how the use of a popular dietary self-monitoring smartphone application impacts college females' well-being, including eating disorder risk. We hypothesize those who are randomized to dietary self-monitoring will have a greater increase in eating disorder risk compared to the control group.
Interventions
OTHERDietary self-monitoring
Participants use a popular smartphone application to track their food and drink intake for one month.
Sponsors
University of Michigan
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* University of Michigan Ann Arbor undergraduate student * Daily access to a smartphone * Female gender * At least 18 years of age * Fluent in English
Exclusion criteria
* Self-reported history of any medical condition that impacts the types or amount of food eaten * Self-reported recent use of dietary self-monitoring * Self-reported history of an active or past eating disorder * Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short Form (EDE-QS) score ≥ 2, indicating high eating disorder risk
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Eating Disorder Risk | 30 days | Eating disorder risk will be measured on a survey via the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short Form (EDE-QS). The EDE-QS is a validated 12 question scale. Each question has a score range 0-3, and the average of all scores is the overall score. A higher score indicates higher risk. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Body Image | 30 days | Assessed via survey using the validated 6 question Body Image States Scale (BISS). Scores are the mean of the six items, three of which are reverse coded. Higher scores mean better body image states. |
| Weight Stigma | 30 days | Measured via survey using five single item questions. |
| Dietary Intake | 30 days | Single item survey questions adapted from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System |
| Physical Activity | 30 days | Single item survey questions adapted from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and an open ended question for amount of time physically active. |
| Weight perception | 30 days | Assessed using two questions on a survey pertaining to BMI category and weight. |
| Weight-Related Self-Monitoring | 30 days | Measured via survey that includes single item measures asking about physical activity self-monitoring and self-weighing frequency. |
| Social Media Use | 30 days | Use of common social media sites assessed using five single item measures on a survey. |
| Weight | 30 days | Blind weights taken on research grade laboratory scale. |
| Subjective Quality of Life | 30 days | Assessed using the Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale (BBQ) on a survey. The BBQ has 12 questions, each ranging from 0-4. Higher scores indicate higher subjective quality of life. |
| Anxiety | 30 days | State anxiety as measured via survey using the short-form of the state scale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The scale consists of 6 questions with a range of scores 1-4 for each question. Three positive questions are reverse coded and scores are added together with higher scores indicating higher state anxiety. |
| Depression Symptoms | 30 days | Measured via survey using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R-10). The CESD-R-10 is a 10 item scale with each question having the possibility of a score 0-3. Two questions are reverse coded, then scores from each question are added to give an overall score. Higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms. |
| Body changing intentions | 30 days | Assessed using single item question on a survey asking how, if at all, participants wanted to change their body. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed