DietCoach: Development and Dietitian Evaluation of a Digital Dietary Counseling Platform
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of St.Gallen
About this trial
The DietCoach study aims to investigate the requirements of a digital dietary counseling platform, and evaluate the dietitian acceptance and usability of the DietCoach platform, which was developed based on the collected requirements. Additionally, the study examines how different levels of patient food purchase data availability affect these factors. The DietCoach platform automatically tracks historic and up-to-date patient food purchase data on loyalty cards and provides nutritional analysis, assisting dietitians in the dietary counseling process. The key research questions (RQ) are:
1. What are the requirements of a digital dietary counseling system based on food purchase data? 2. What is acceptance and usability of the DietCoach platform evaluated by dietitians? 3. How does the availability of patient food purchase data influence the acceptance and perceived usability of the DietCoach platform by dietitians?
Dietitians from several cantonal hospitals in the German-speaking area of Switzerland are invited to participate in the study. To answer RQ1, we conduct a workshop and a survey with dietitians to derive key requirements on dietary counseling systems. To answer RQ2 and RQ3, we use a cross-sectional, mixed-methods, between-subjects study design.
Researchers will evaluate and compare the acceptance and usability of DietCoach in 3 different conditions (3 patients that had different, i.e., high, medium and low, food purchase data availability). Each participant is assigned to the data of one patient. Participants are required to:
1. use the DietCoach platform to provide at least one dietary recommendation to patient food purchase data in two separate sessions. 2. provide quantitative and qualitative feedback about the acceptance and usability of the DietCoach platform.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Dietitians in Switzerland
German-speaking (the platform is in German, a main language in Switzerland)
Disqualifiers
None
Trial population
The study aims to include all dietitians in Switzerland as potential participants. However, since recruitment will be conducted through contacting the nutritional departments of cantonal hospitals in the German-speaking area, the participant pool is expected to consist primarily of dietitians from several cantonal hospitals located in the German-speaking region of Switzerland.
Trial design
Design model
Other
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Treatments tested in this trial
DietCoach
BehavioralParticipants are invited to give at least one dietary recommendation to a patient\'s food purchase data using the DietCoach platform.
Treatment groups
30 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: Low patient food shopping coverage1 intervention
Group B: Medium patient food shopping coverage1 intervention
Group C: High patient food shopping coverage1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Key requirements of a digital dietary counseling system based on food purchase data
The key requirements for a digital dietary counseling system based on food purchase data will be identified through the dietitian workshop and the dietitian survey. They primarily focus on: 1. food purchase data availability: number of baskets/items per person in a patient household, and the duration of data availability. 2. use cases: percentage of participants identifying critical use cases (e.g., recommending alternative food products). 3. product information: most important product information (e.g., energy, sugar) identified by dietitians for a dietary counseling system. All outcomes will be quantified using a 5-point Likert scale (from 1 very low importance to 5 very high importance), according to participant responses. Participants are additionally allowed to add more suggestions/recommendation/comments using free text.
Time frame
Immediately after the DietCoach intervention2
Acceptance of the DietCoach platform
Evaluated by the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) constructs. The constructs include performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and behavioral intention. The construct levels can be indicated by the average score on a 7-point Likert scale.
Time frame
Immediately after the DietCoach intervention3
Usability of the DietCoach platform
Measured by the average System Usability Scale (SUS) score, ranging from 0 to 100. The higher the SUS score, the better the usability
Time frame
Immediately after the DietCoach interventionSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University of St.Gallen
Lead sponsor
Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov