Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Piloting a Generative Artificial Intelligence Chatbot in a Mobile Weight Loss Program
Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Summary
The goal of this study is to learn if integrating a chatbot into an existing 12-week smartphone-delivered behavioral weight loss program is feasible and effective for weight loss among young adults. Researchers will compare a standard behavioral weight loss program for young adults that delivers 1-2 brief messages per day (AGILE) to the same program with a chatbot integrated into the app that will offer additional behavior change support (AGILE + Chatbot) to see if the program with the chatbot is feasible, acceptable to participants, and improves program engagement and weight change.
Official title: Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence in Mobile Health Promotion Programs: A Use Case for Enhancing Tailored Messaging and Engagement in a Mobile Healthy Weight Program
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 39 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
20
Start Date
2026-03-23
Completion Date
2026-07-20
Last Updated
2026-04-16
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
AGILE Intervention
12-week behavioral weight loss intervention that includes daily self-monitoring (tracking) of dietary intake, physical activity, and weight; personalized daily goals for dietary intake and physical activity; weekly behavioral lessons in the study app; weekly tailored feedback on goal progress and weight change; and 1-2 intervention messages per day that are tailored based on current diet, activity, and/or weight progress. Participants receive a Fitbit activity tracker and scale and track their activity and weight in the Fitbit app. Participants use a simplified approach to self-monitoring their dietary intake by tracking 'red' (high-calorie) foods in the study's food log smartphone app. This data is used to inform the daily intervention messages and weekly tailored feedback.
Chatbot
The AGILE chatbot operates via a trained generative artificial intelligence large language model and offers additional support to participants for making changes in their dietary and physical activity behaviors. The chatbot is available for conversation only after a message has been delivered in the AGILE app. Participants can choose to start a conversation or not, and the ability to start a conversation expires at midnight (until a message is delivered the next day). The chatbot is able to provide evidence-based cognitive behavioral support to participants including, but not limited to: 1) strategies and tips for dietary self-monitoring, physical activity tracking (wearing the Fitbit), and self-weighing; 2) overcoming common barriers to dietary and physical activity goal achievement; 3) general support for remaining engaged in behavior change efforts during the course of the program.
Locations (1)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States