BACKGROUND
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has surged, doubling since 1980 to affect one-third of the global population. Digital distractions, such as screen use during meals, have been implicated in this rise, as they divert attention from food consumption and impair memory encoding, leading to overeating. Traditional interventions focus on reducing eating rates but often require significant user motivation and effort.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore whether visual feedback on chewing behavior and the amount of food consumed, overlaid on digital content, can help regulate eating behavior during digital distractions and prevent overeating.
METHODS
We recruited 21 participants who attended two sessions, one with (intervention) and one without (control) visual feedback, while consuming a meal and reading an online article. Visual feedback included chewing rate and food consumption cues overlaid on the content. We measured physical metrics, recorded the eating process, and collected data on food consumption, appetite, and attention to food. The effects of the intervention were analyzed using mixed ANOVA, Linear Mixed Models (LMM), and correlation analyses.
RESULTS
The intervention significantly decreased the amount of pizza consumed (p=0.007), with participants eating 48 grams (16%) less on average (255 grams vs. 305 grams). Memory for the meal (p=0.017) and attention to food (p=0.025) also increased in the intervention condition. However, changes in hunger (p=0.085) and fullness (p=0.789) post-meal did not differ significantly between conditions. The intervention led to a reassessment of food palatability, with a significant decrease in palatability ratings (p=0.038) post-intervention. Individual eating patterns remained consistent across conditions (Y=0.88X + 77.42). Qualitative feedback indicated that most participants found the system easy to use and felt it enhanced their awareness of food consumption.
CONCLUSIONS
The visual feedback intervention successfully reduced food intake during digital distractions by increasing attention to and memory of food consumption. These findings suggest potential for developing tools to mitigate overeating in the context of digital distractions by emphasizing key visual cues.