by Piper Wilson

Created on: August 23, 2007   Last Updated: August 24, 2007

Camera Cell Phones, Weight Loss and Jules Verne

Jules Verne invented science fiction. The first novel he wrote, "Paris in the 20th Century," contained skyscrapers of glass and steel, high-speed trains, gas-powered automobiles, calculators, and, a worldwide communications network. In spite of his incredible imagination, he would never have seen this one coming.

mDiet - Mobile Diet Intervention through Electronic Technology

mDiet is a service rather than a device. According to the National Cancer Institute, "The mDiet system will include a web-application that shares data and communicates via a server with the cell phone."

In other words, the purpose of mDiet is to use people's cell phones as an avenue to create a support system for people trying to lose weight. On going support systems for dieters are not new; well-known examples include Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers. Under the mDiet program, the provider will send text or picture messages to the patient. The messages will contain "specific suggestions or tips regarding diet and improving lifestyle habits." Providers will be able to support a large number of people with a relatively small amount of effort.

Since mDiet's approach is such a novel one,the Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise and Nutrition project (PACE) at the University of California, San Diego is conducting a research study that is evaluating the mDiet program.

PACE is evaluating whether patients receiving mDiet messages will lower their Body Mass Index (BMI) more than a control group of patients without mDiet's support. Primarily, researchers will gauge the success or failure of mDiet based on objective measurements of the BMI between the two groups.
The mDiet program is designed to be simple and easy to follow. Therefore, researchers will also be judging the patients' satisfaction with mDiet by measuring "subjective ratings of intervention components and ease of use, and objective measures of frequency of use."

PACE project principal investigator Kevin Patrick, M.D., M.S., professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, says, "We are trying to make this as pain free as possible. People won't stick to something that's too difficult and they're all multi-tasking anyway. Using the cell phone may be the perfect way to get a message to busy people on the go."
Pierre-Jules Hetzel, Verne's publisher, rejected "Paris in the 20th Century" because he believed it would not be successful. Hetzel advised, "Wait twenty years to write this book. If you were a prophet, no one would believe your prophecies."
Jules Verne would be surprised by what we do with a worldwide communications network. Welcome to the 21st Century, Mr. Verne.

"Paris in the 20th Century" was finally published in 1989.

Kimberly Edwards, Public Information Officer for USCD expects that the results of this study will be published, at the earliest, around April 2009.

"Ecological Momentary Intervention of Diet Via Mobile Technology" is funded by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Detailed information is available at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00415870;jsessi onid=424CBDFE211CECD07610B9180BE443EC?order=17.

Natio nal Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov - http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/grants/abstract.asp? ApplID=7283961

Press Release from USCD - http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/08-07CellPho neDropPoundsKE-.asp

Learn more about this author, Piper Wilson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.