Measuring how much you eat using 3D scans and photos
Official title: Assessment of Calories in the Diets Using 3D Scanning and a Photographic Method
Run by Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences · NCT07371559 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether combining 3D plate scans and photographs can accurately measure how much food healthy adults with specific BMIs eat.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 22 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Shenzhen, Guangdong) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 31, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | January 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07371559 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are adults with BMI in the specified ranges (healthy underweight 15 < BMI ≤ 18.5 or normal 21.5 ≤ BMI < 25), able to choose food as requested, and without metabolic disease, diabetes, pregnancy, eating disorders, recent disease-related weight loss, or ongoing weight-loss treatment.
✕Probably not a fit
People with metabolic diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, eating disorders, recent disease-related weight loss, ongoing weight-loss treatment, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project will recruit 200 volunteers who will be given food and allowed to choose items according to their usual eating habits. Researchers will take 3D scans and photographs of each participant's plate before and after eating. Images will be processed with image-recognition software and intelligent applications developed with Astravis (Switzerland) to estimate energy intake per meal. The combined 3D/photo method will be compared with current approaches to improve accuracy of dietary energy measurement in research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide researchers and clinicians a more accurate and convenient way to measure calorie intake and support better dietary guidance.
How similar studies have gone: Photo-based image-recognition methods have shown promise for estimating food energy, but combining 3D scanning with photographic methods is relatively new and not yet widely validated.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Recently measured body mass index (BMI): normal control group (21.5 ≤ BMI \< 25); Recently measured body mass index (BMI): healthy underweight group (15 \< BMI ≤ 18.5); Must be able to choose the food as requested. Exclusion Criteria: Metabolic diseases; Recent weight loss due to various disease causes; Ongoing treatment for weight loss; Eating disorders; Pregnant or lactating women; Infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis; Diabetes mellitus.
Where it's running
-
Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: John Roger Speakman, PhD
- Email: j.speakman@abdn.ac.uk
- Phone: 15810868669
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.