@Article{info:doi/10.2196/12298,
author="Meule, Adrian
and Richard, Anna
and Dinic, Radomir
and Blechert, Jens",
title="Effects of a Smartphone-Based Approach-Avoidance Intervention on Chocolate Craving and Consumption: Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="JMIR Mhealth Uhealth",
year="2019",
month="Nov",
day="1",
volume="7",
number="11",
pages="e12298",
keywords="food; chocolate; craving; smartphone; mobile phone; mhealth; digital health; eating behavior",
abstract="Background: Repeatedly pushing high-calorie food stimuli away based on joystick movements has been found to reduce approach biases toward these stimuli. Some studies also found that such avoidance training reduced consumption of high-calorie foods. Objective: This study aimed to test effects of a smartphone-based approach-avoidance intervention on chocolate craving and consumption, to make such interventions suitable for daily use. Methods: Within a 10-day period, regular chocolate eaters (n=105, 86{\%} female) performed five sessions during which they continuously avoided (ie, swiped upward) chocolate stimuli (experimental group, n=35), performed five sessions during which they approached and avoided chocolate stimuli equally often (placebo control group, n=35), or did not perform any training sessions (inactive control group, n=35). Training effects were measured during laboratory sessions before and after the intervention period and further continuously through daily ecological momentary assessment. Results: Self-reported chocolate craving and consumption as well as body fat mass significantly decreased from pre- to postmeasurement across all groups. Ecological momentary assessment reports evidenced no differences in chocolate craving and consumption between intervention days and rest days as a function of the group. Conclusions: A smartphone-based approach-avoidance training did not affect eating-related and anthropometric measures over and above measurement-based changes in this study. Future controlled studies need to examine whether other techniques of modifying food approach tendencies show an add-on benefit over conventional, monitoring-based intervention effects. Trial Registration: AsPredicted 8203; https://aspredicted.org/pt9df.pdf. ",
issn="2291-5222",
doi="10.2196/12298",
url="https://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/11/e12298",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/12298",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31682584"
}