The use of a 'smart fork' to decelerate eating rate in patients with difficult-to-treat conditions: a single case study

The current study examines whether real-time vibrotactile feedback about eating rate delivered by a persuasive technology can alter eating behaviour in the home setting in one teenage girl with brain damage.

Vibrotactile feedback from a 'smart' fork reduces the eating rate of a teenage girl suffering from brain damage that causes her not to detect hunger or satiation

All primary outcomes will be measured at baseline, directly after the four week training period and at follow-up 2 months later. Secondary outcomes will also be measured at three time points; baseline, after training period and 2 month follow-up.

The current study examines whether real-time vibrotactile feedback about eating rate delivered by a persuasive technology can alter eating behaviour in the home setting in one teenage girl with braindamage. The brain damage renders the participant unable to detect hunger nor satiation and causes her to eat at a very fast rate.

The main aim of the study is to test whether a four-week training period can help this person to adopt a slower eating rate over time. At the beginning of the study, participant completes a baseline survey and we weigh and measure them. Baseline eating rate is assessed during a 7 consecutive day measurement period. During this period, participant will use the fork without any form of feedback. After establishing a baseline measure of eating rate, she will use the fork for a training period of four weeks. After this period, participant uses the fork without any form of feedback another week to establish post-eating rate. Moreover, she completes a survey and are weighed. This measurement is repeated eight weeks later in a two-month follow-up to test for sustainable changes in eating rate.