RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

The Use of Smart Devices in Capturing Digital Biomarkers in Eating Disorders

This study is exploring how smart devices, like your smartphone or smartwatch, could help keep an eye on the health of people living with eating disorders. These conditions can seriously affect both mental and physical health, and checking on important health signs is key to getting the right treatment. Currently, doctors use manual checks, which can take time and might not always show the full picture. Smart devices could offer a new way to measure things like heart rate and breathing, even at home. By using these gadgets, alongside some questionnaires, researchers hope to find a simpler and more effective way to monitor health, spot issues early, and improve care for people with eating disorders.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Univa Health

Enrolment target

130

Start

01 Nov 2024

Estimated completion

01 Sep 2025

Eating Disorders

What is this study about?

This study is trying to understand how modern smart devices, like your mobile phone or smartwatch, could be used to help monitor the health of people who have eating disorders. Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can affect both your mind and your body. Keeping a close watch on your health is really important to make sure you get the right treatment and stay safe, whether you're in hospital or at home.

At the moment, doctors and nurses often check things like your heart rate, blood pressure, and weight manually. This can take a lot of time and sometimes it's hard to get a full picture of how someone is doing, especially if they are trying to hide how unwell they feel. Monitoring health at home can also be tricky because people don't usually have professional medical equipment. This study believes that new technology could change that. Smart devices can now measure lots of health information without being invasive, such as your heart rate and breathing patterns, using clever techniques like scanning your face or fingertip.

Researchers will also use video recordings from phone cameras to look at things like facial expressions and how people move, which can give clues about their mental and physical health. By combining this with common questionnaires, the study hopes to create a much easier way for people with eating disorders to keep an eye on their health at home. They will collect information from people both in hospital and those being treated as outpatients to make sure these digital methods work well for everyone, no matter how serious their condition is. The main goal is to help doctors pick up on health problems earlier, make treatment plans better, and ultimately improve the lives of people with eating disorders.

Key takeaways

The study explores using smart devices to track health in eating disorders.
It aims to make monitoring easier and more accurate, especially at home.
Data will be collected using smartphones and smartwatches.
It includes people in hospital and those treated as outpatients.
The goal is to improve early detection and treatment plans.
You must have an eating disorder diagnosis and weekly clinic assessments.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, you need to be at least 10 years old. You must have been diagnosed with an eating disorder by a doctor. It's also important that you have at least one in-person physical check-up at the clinic each week as part of your current treatment when you start the study. You also need to be able to speak and understand English, and be able to read and sign the consent forms yourself.

If you are between 10 and 16 years old, your parent or legal guardian will need to give their permission first, and they must also be able to read and sign the consent forms for you.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to take part. This includes if you misuse drugs or alcohol (more than 21 units of alcohol per week, which is about 10 pints of beer or 10 large glasses of wine). You also can't join if you have a neurological condition (which affects the brain or nervous system), have been diagnosed with schizophrenia or any related psychotic disorder, or if you are pregnant. Lastly, you won't be able to participate if you have certain learning difficulties or intellectual disabilities.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Am I 10 years old or older?
Have I been diagnosed with an eating disorder by a doctor?
Do I have a weekly in-person physical check-up at my clinic?
Can I understand and speak English fluently?
Do I (or my legal guardian, if I'm under 16) agree to sign consent forms?
Do I avoid misusing drugs or alcohol (e.g., less than 21 units of alcohol per week)?
Am I free from neurological disorders, schizophrenia, learning disabilities, or not currently pregnant?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study will involve you using smart devices, such as a smartphone or smartwatch, to track different health measures. You'll also complete some questionnaires. The study will collect information both when you are in hospital (if applicable) and when you are receiving care as an outpatient. The goal is to see how accurate and helpful these digital methods are over time. The total duration of your participation will depend on how long you are typically in treatment, but the study aims to capture data across different stages of your care. You won't be asked to change any medications you are currently taking.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer some benefits, such as potentially helping doctors develop better ways to monitor eating disorders in the future, which could improve care for many people. There are no direct medical risks expected with using smart devices for monitoring. However, you might find some of the questionnaires or the recording of your data slightly uncomfortable or time-consuming. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University of Liverpool
Verified postcode
Liverpool, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What kind of smart devices will I use?

You'll use devices like smartphones and smartwatches to help collect health information.

Will my doctor still monitor my health in the usual way?

Yes, your doctor will continue all your regular health checks and treatments as usual during the study.

Will anyone see my personal health information from the devices?

Your health data will be kept private and used only for research, with strict rules to protect your identity.

Do I need to be good with technology to join?

The study aims to use technology that is easy to use. Support will be provided if you need help.

How long will I be in the study?

The study aims to gather information during your typical treatment period, both in hospital and as an outpatient.

How to find out more

Richard Andrews, BSc

research@univa.health +441488892853 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.