An interventional study of Recipes consumption and Hydroponic unit in Mobile Applications, sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in Belgium. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-06-26.
Sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The goal of this study is to test the usability and applicability of a mobile application which recommends recipes. We will recruit up to 52 vegan/vegetarian participants in Belgium, and provide them with an iDOO hydroponic plant growing unit (https://www.idooworld.com/products/idoo-20pods-indoor-herb-garden-kit-hydroponics-growing-system-with-led-grow-light) as well as seeds and plant nutrients to grow certain herbs at home. Over a period of 17 weeks, participants will be asked to consume plants from the unit by following the recipes recommended by the app. The participants will then observe changes in their iron and vitamin B12 levels by following up with their GP and report the outcomes back to the researchers at three points during the study (week 0, week 6, and week 17). In addition, the participants will evaluate the usability of the app and the recipes recommended by the app.
Iron is present in plant and animal-derived foods but the fractional absorption of iron from plant foods (that is the percent of iron absorbed from a consumed quantity) is often low (approx 10%) compared to iron from animal sources 25%-30%. It is therefore more challenging for vegans and vegetarians to achieve the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for iron (8.7 mg/day for men over 18 and women over 50, 14.8 mg/day for women aged 18-50), and they are likely to absorb less of that iron and therefore are more likely to become iron depleted.
Plants do not synthesise vitamin B12 and unless fortified, plant-derived foods and beverages do not contain any vitamin B12. the RNI for vitamin B12 in the UK is 1.5 µg/day, therefore it is crucial that vegans and vegetarians take B12 supplements if they don't consume B12-fortified foods or find other ways of incorporating this vitamin into their diets.
Over a period of 17 weeks, participants will be asked to consume plants from the unit by following the recipes recommended by the app. The participants will then observe changes in their iron and vitamin B12 levels by following up with their GP and report the outcomes back to the researchers at three points during the study (week 0, week 6, and week 17). In addition, the participants will evaluate the usability of the app and the recipes recommended by the app.
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven is the lead sponsor of 928 studies on the registry; 261 are open to participants now.
Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.
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Exclusion Criteria
Dietary app recommends high iron or iron focused recipes
Behavioral: Recipes consumption · Behavioral: Hydroponic unit
Dietary app recommends standard iron recipes
Behavioral: Recipes consumption · Behavioral: Hydroponic unit
Growing vitamin B12 biofortified plants in a hydroponic unit
Behavioral: Recipes consumption · Behavioral: Hydroponic unit
No hydroponic unit given to participants
Participants will eat one or two recipes a day for 17 weeks
Participants will grow vitamin B12 biofortified plants for 17 weeks and consume (10 grams) of plant material for 11 weeks.
Change in serum ferritin after the dietary app intervention
Comparison of serum ferritin at baseline and after the intervention
Time frame: Week: 0, 6/7 and 17
Change of serum B12 after the hydroponic unit intervention
Comparison of serum B12 at baseline and after the intervention
Time frame: Week: 6/7 and 17
App usability rating
The usability of the mobile application will be scored on 100 using the System Usability Scale
Time frame: Week: 6/7 and 17
Score on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology questionnaire
The acceptance of the mobile application will be measured using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology questionnaire on a scale of 1 to 5.
Time frame: Week: 6/7 and 17
Recipe recommendation performance
The performance of the recipe recommendation system will be measured using the RESQUE questionnaire on a scale of 1 to 5.
Time frame: Week: 17
Plan to share: No
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Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven