MySnackTracker for Food Diary

Overseen By Karen M Basen-Engquist, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Must not be taking: GLP-1 agonists

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Pregnant, Bariatric surgery, Cancer, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 12 months

90 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a simpler method of tracking food with an app called MySnackTracker is as effective as the more common full-intake tracking method. Participants will either use MySnackTracker to log only high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks or use the Fitbit app to log everything they eat and drink. The trial seeks individuals who have participated in certain past studies, have internet access, and are motivated to lose weight. This trial may suit those managing their diet but find detailed calorie tracking too tedious. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research in dietary management.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are using or planning to use a GLP-1 agonist medication.

What prior data suggests that the MySnackTracker method is safe for food tracking?

Research shows that MySnackTracker helps people monitor their intake of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks. Although specific safety data for MySnackTracker is unavailable, it functions like other food tracking apps, which are generally safe. These apps are considered safe because they log dietary intake without directly affecting the body.

Similarly, specific safety data for the Fitbit food logging app is also unavailable. However, like MySnackTracker, it serves as a digital tool for tracking dietary intake. Since it only involves recording diet, it poses no physical health risks.

In summary, both MySnackTracker and the Fitbit app are digital tools with no known negative effects. Use them as directed to maximize their benefits. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the MySnackTracker trial because it explores a new way of tracking dietary habits by focusing specifically on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks, often referred to as "snacks." Unlike other food tracking tools that require logging all food and drink intake, MySnackTracker simplifies the process, potentially making it more user-friendly and sustainable for participants. This targeted approach could provide insights into the impact of snacking on overall health and help refine dietary recommendations, offering a fresh angle on managing nutrition and wellness effectively.

What evidence suggests that MySnackTracker is effective for food tracking?

Research has shown that MySnackTracker, available to participants in this trial, could serve as a good alternative to traditional food tracking methods. It focuses on logging only high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, such as cookies and chips, which might simplify its use. Studies on diet-tracking apps suggest these tools can help people manage their weight and understand their eating habits. MySnackTracker aims to streamline this process, potentially increasing adherence and satisfaction. While complete data is still being gathered, early results suggest that simpler tracking methods might be just as effective for some users. Participants in another arm of this trial will use the Fitbit food logging app to track their dietary intake. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Karen M Basen-Engquist, MD

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals interested in dietary tracking. Specific eligibility criteria are not provided, so it's assumed that participants should be willing to use the MySnackTracker app and a Fitbit device for monitoring their food intake.

Inclusion Criteria

Provision of signed and dated informed consent form

Current or previous participation in one of the following DFI cohorts: PA17-0584 (MERIT Study), Project CHURCH, High Risk Breast Cohort, Mexican-American Cohort, and rural cancer survivors from the Mind Your BEAT study

Access to internet connection, email address, and smartphone able to download the intervention app

Exclusion Criteria

Self-reported current or planned participation in another weight loss intervention

BMI less than 28 or greater than 40

I am not currently trying to lose weight.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants use either MySnackTracker or Fitbit app to track dietary intake

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• MySnackTracker

Trial Overview The study is testing whether using the MySnackTracker app, which focuses on abbreviated food tracking, is as effective as traditional full-intake dietary monitoring methods. Participants will likely use both the app and a Fitbit to track their diet.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Group 2: Fitbit Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in Group 2, will use the Fitbit food logging app to track their dietary intake. Participants will be asked to log all food and drink intake.

Group II: Group 1: MySnackTracker Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in Group 1 will use MySnackTracker to track their dietary intake. Participants will be asked to log only high-calorie, low-nutrient food and drinks, or snacks" (for example, cookies, chips and dip, and alcohol). A full list of these foods and drinks is provided in the app.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Keenoa™ app was preferred over traditional pen and paper methods for diet recording among participants, indicating a positive user experience with digital data collection.

While the app had strengths like picture recognition and a pleasant interface, challenges such as barcode scanning issues and a limited food database were noted, suggesting areas for improvement to enhance its efficacy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of the Diet Tracking Smartphone Application Keenoa™: A Qualitative Analysis. Bouzo, V., Plourde, H., Beckenstein, H., et al.[2022]

Untrained individuals can accurately rate the diet quality of food photos using the Traffic Light Diet (TLD) approach, achieving over 75% accuracy in categorizing foods as red, yellow, or green.

Crowdsourcing feedback from a relatively small number of participants (as few as 15) can provide reliable diet quality ratings, suggesting that this method could effectively reduce the burden of dietary self-monitoring.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Crowdsourcing for self-monitoring: Using the Traffic Light Diet and crowdsourcing to provide dietary feedback. Turner-McGrievy, GM., Wilcox, S., Kaczynski, AT., et al.[2022]

The mobile Food Record (mFR) method showed a significant correlation between reported energy intake and total energy expenditure, indicating its accuracy in dietary assessment among 45 participants over 7.5 days.

Participants found the mFR easy to use, and it performed comparably to traditional dietary records, with no systematic biases detected in the data collection process.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reported Energy Intake Accuracy Compared to Doubly Labeled Water and Usability of the Mobile Food Record among Community Dwelling Adults. Boushey, CJ., Spoden, M., Delp, EJ., et al.[2023]

The 'myfood24 Healthcare' app was found to be acceptable for both patients and healthcare professionals in a feasibility study involving 48 participants from weight management and gastroenterology surgery programs.

Compliance with the app was reasonable, with 50% of users recording their dietary intake for four or more days, indicating potential for effective dietary monitoring and support in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Usability of myfood24 Healthcare and Mathematical Diet Optimisation in Clinical Populations: A Pilot Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial. Threapleton, DE., Beer, SL., Foley, DJ., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. mhealth.jmir.org mhealth.jmir.org/2019/5/e9232/

A Focused Review of Smartphone Diet-Tracking Apps Smartphone diet-tracking apps may help individuals lose weight, manage chronic conditions, and understand dietary patterns; however, ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-dietary-monitoring-8-2025-a569b

MySnackTracker for Food Diary · Info for Participants Trial Overview The study is testing whether using the MySnackTracker app, which focuses on abbreviated food tracking, is as effective as traditional full-intake ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8103297/

User Perspectives of Diet-Tracking Apps: Reviews Content ... The aim of this study was to identify the key topics and issues that users highlight in their reviews of diet-tracking apps on Google Play Store.

4. sph.uth.edu sph.uth.edu/research/centers/dell/webinars/2.3.22%20dpad%20webinar%20presentation.pdf

digital Physical Activity & Diet Collaborative Meal planning. Physical activity. Page 16. My Snack Tracker. • App for dietary self- monitoring, alternative to full diet tracking. • User ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900720303014

Accuracy of applications to monitor food intake The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of nutrient intake calculations from some of the leading apps.

6. play.google.com play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mdanderson.aim.snackTracker&hl=en_US

My Snack Tracker - Apps on Google Play My Snack Tracker is a tool that helps you track your consumption of empty calories or energy dense, nutrient poor foods and beverages.

7. discuss.privacyguides.net discuss.privacyguides.net/t/please-suggest-a-privacy-respecting-health-and-nutrition-and-activity-app-on-android/30657

Please Suggest a Privacy-respecting Health and Nutrition ... I had my time using Cronometer, the privacy policy is apparently HIPAA compliant but I would suggest to create a pseudonymous account using an ...

8. reddit.com reddit.com/r/QuantifiedSelf/comments/1dma4ej/privacy_focused_food_tracking/

Privacy focused food tracking? : r/QuantifiedSelf App makes tracking easier with barcode scanning. I use their API to pull my data and store in my local QS database. Beats writing a front end.

9. cspi.org cspi.org/article/our-guide-food-tracking-apps

Our guide to food-tracking apps Food-tracking apps like MyFitnessPal aren't just for calories. They can also tally how much sodium, protein, and sugar you eat.