journal article

Feasibility of using an artificial intelligence based telephone application for dietary assessment and nudging to improve the quality of food choices of female adolescents in Vietnam: Evidence from a randomized pilot study

by Bianca C. Braga,
Phuong Nguyen,
Lan Mai Tran,
Nga Thu Hoang,
Boateng Bannerman,
Frank Doyle,
Gloria Folson,
Rohit Gangupantulu,
Naureen Karachiwalla,
Bastien Kolt,
Peter McCloskey,
Giordano Palloni,
Trang Huyen Thi Tran,
Duong Thuy Thi Trơưng,
David Hughes and
Aulo Gelli
2024
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102063
Open Access | CC-BY-4.0
Citation
Braga, Bianca C.; Nguyen, Phuong H.; Tran, Lan Mai; Hoang, Nga Thu; Bannerman, Boateng; Doyle, Frank; et al. Feasibility of using an artificial intelligence-based telephone application for dietary assessment and nudging to improve the quality of food choices of female adolescents in Vietnam: Evidence from a randomized pilot study. Current Developments in Nutrition. Article in press. First published online December 13, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102063

Background
Adolescent nutrition has faced a policy neglect, partly owing to the gaps in dietary intake data for this age group. The Food Recognition Assistance and Nudging Insights (FRANI) is a smartphone application validated for dietary assessment and to influence users toward healthy food choices.

Objectives
This study aimed to assess the feasibility (adherence, acceptability, and usability) of FRANI and its effects on food choices and diet quality in female adolescents in Vietnam.

Methods
Adolescents (N = 36) were randomly selected from a public school and allocated into 2 groups. The control group received smartphones with a version of FRANI limited to dietary assessment, whereas the intervention received smartphones with gamified FRANI. After the first 4 wk, both groups used gamified FRANI for further 2 wk. The primary outcome was the feasibility of using FRANI as measured by adherence (the proportion of completed food records), acceptability and usability (the proportion of participants who considered FRANI acceptable and usable according to answers of a Likert questionnaire). Secondary outcomes included the percentage of meals recorded, the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDDW) and the Eat-Lancet Diet Score (ELDS). Dietary diversity is important for dietary quality, and sustainable healthy diets are important to reduce carbon emissions. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the effect of gamified FRANI on the MDDW and ELDS.

Results
Adherence to the application was 82% and the percentage of meals recorded was 97%. Acceptability and usability were 97%. MDDW in the intervention group was 1.07 points (95% CI: 0.98, 1.18; P = 0.13) greater than that in the control (constant = 4.68); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, ELDS in the intervention was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.18; P = 0.03) points greater than in the control (constant = 3.67).

Conclusions
FRANI was feasible and may be effective to influence users toward healthy food choices. Research is needed for FRANI in different contexts and at scale.

Countries
Asia
Southeast Asia
Divisions
Nutrition, Diets, and Health (NDH)
Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI)

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