Using smartphone data and sensors to help adults keep weight off
Official title: Control Systems Engineering to Address the Problem of Weight Loss Maintenance: A System Identification Experiment to Model Behavioral & Psychosocial Factors Measured by Ecological Momentary Assessment
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-11141654 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses phone check-ins, sensors, and analytics to spot when adults who lost weight are starting to relapse and deliver timely support to prevent regained weight.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $614,139 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137423-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141654 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults age 21 and older who have lost weight or are working on weight maintenance and who are willing to use a smartphone app and share sensor or survey data.
✕Less likely to help
People without a compatible smartphone, unwilling to share mobile or survey data, or whose medical situation makes weight loss unsafe are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would carry your smartphone and complete brief momentary surveys while passive sensors and phone data collect information about mood, location, appetite, and behavior. Researchers will build personalized models that identify which moments and triggers most often lead each person to lapse from their weight plan. The team aims to use those models to know when someone is entering a high‑risk period and what kind of support would best help them avoid regaining weight. Parts of the work happen remotely through your phone, and some visits or checks may be done at Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give people personalized, timely nudges or interventions that make it easier to maintain weight loss long-term.
How similar studies have gone: Related mobile and just‑in‑time interventions have shown promise in small trials for changing behavior, but long‑term success for weight maintenance remains limited and is still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thomas, John Graham — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Thomas, John Graham
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.