This proposal is for a Phase I feasibility study to develop and test Internet Nutritional Education Scale System (iNESSy) for weight management. iNESSy is a computer-assisted system that promotes a healthier life style by training subjects to control their eating and monitor their weight. When completed iNESSy will facilitate weight management by maximizing adherence to a dietary plan through portion control education, increasing the likelihood and frequency of self-monitoring, and maximizing accessibility to support. Innovations of this system are: (1) using a scale to train clients to recognize appropriate food portion sizes; (2) providing immediate feedback on caloric intake by analyzing composition of a client's estimated food records; (3) monitoring changes in weight and body fatness using a bathroom scale equipped with bioelectrical impedance analysis technology; (4) tracking physical activity and comparing to behavioral goals; and (5) improving professional counseling by organizing patient clinical data (intake, weight and activity) on a server, that is updated through the Internet and accessible by the counselor. A pilot version of iNESSy will be developed during Phase I. The major tasks during this development are to determine the optimal design, develop overall system specifications, construct a prototype and evaluate the design using focus groups.
