Evaluation of the eNutri automated personalised nutrition advice by users and nutrition professionals in the UK

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 3;14(4):e0214931. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214931. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Nutrition apps have great potential to support people to improve their diets, but few apps give automated validated personalised nutrition advice. A web app capable of delivering automated personalised food-based nutrition advice (eNutri) was developed. The aims of this study were to i) evaluate and optimise the personalised nutrition report provided by the app and ii) compare the personalised food-based advice with nutrition professionals' standards to aid validation. A study with nutrition professionals (NP) compared the advice provided by the app against professional Registered Dietitians (RD) (n = 16) and Registered Nutritionists (RN) (n = 16) standards. Each NP received two pre-defined scenarios, comprising an individual's characteristics and dietary intake based on an analysis of a food frequency questionnaire, along with the nutrition food-based advice that was automatically generated by the app for that individual. NPs were asked to use their professional judgment to consider the scenario, provide their three most relevant recommendations for that individual, then consider the app's advice and rate their level of agreement via 5-star scales (with 5 as complete agreement). NPs were also asked to comment on the eNutri recommendations, scores generated and overall impression. The mean scores for the appropriateness, relevance and suitability of the eNutri diet messages were 3.5, 3.3 and 3.3 respectively.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Diet*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutritional Status*
  • Nutritionists*
  • Software*
  • United Kingdom

Grants and funding

The nutrition professional study and cost of open access publication was funded by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) Drummond Pump Priming Award 2017, which was won by RF. However the BNF had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results. RZF was sponsored by CNPq (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development), from the Brazilian Government.