AI-Enabled Mobile App for Safe Eating in Older Adults With Dysphagia

Sponsor
KAM Chi Shan Anna
Study ID
NCT07654088
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Deglutition Disorders
  • Dysphagia

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
60 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • AI-Enabled Mobile Application plus Standard Care — DEVICE
    A smartphone-based application that uses artificial intelligence to classify food and liquid textures from images captured by the user. The application provides real-time guidance aligned with standardized dysphagia diet levels and delivers safety-focused prompts to verify texture using simple methods when needed. The tool is designed to support safe meal preparation and improve adherence to prescribed texture-modified diets in daily home settings. Participants receive onboarding and use the application during meals throughout the intervention period.
  • Standard Dysphagia Education — BEHAVIORAL
    A structured education session providing guidance on safe swallowing practices and preparation of texture-modified foods and liquids. Participants receive printed educational materials describing appropriate food textures and simple methods for checking consistency. This reflects usual care in community dysphagia management and does not include digital or automated decision support.

Study Details

Difficulty swallowing (called dysphagia) is common in older adults and can make eating and drinking unsafe. It may lead to serious problems such as choking, lung infections, poor nutrition, and reduced quality of life. One common way to reduce these risks is to modify food and drink textures (for example, making foods softer or liquids thicker). However, people often find it difficult to prepare food at the correct texture level in everyday life, especially at home, which may reduce the effectiveness of this approach. This study aims to test whether a smartphone application powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can help older adults with swallowing difficulties eat more safely. The app allows users (or their caregivers) to take a photo of food or drinks, and the app then estimates the texture level and provides guidance to help ensure it is safe to swallow. It also gives simple prompts to double-check food texture when needed. In this clinical trial, community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or above with swallowing difficulties will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive usual care, which includes education about safe swallowing and written instructions on appropriate food textures. The other group will receive the same usual care plus access to the AI-enabled mobile app for 16 weeks. Participants will continue their daily eating routines at home. The main question this study is trying to answer is: Does using the AI-enabled mobile app improve how often people eat foods that match their recommended safe texture level compared with usual care alone? The study will also examine whether the app helps reduce swallowing-related problems (such as choking), improves quality of life, and supports better overall eating ability. In addition, the study will evaluate how easy the app is to use and whether it places any burden on users. Hypothesis: The researchers hypothesize that participants who use the AI-enabled app, in addition to usual care, will more consistently follow recommended food texture guidelines and experience safer eating compared with those who receive usual care alone.

Key Dates

First listed
Jun 17, 2026
Start date
Jan 31, 2028
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2030
Completion
Dec 31, 2030

Study Design

Enrollment
332 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: AI-Enabled Mobile Application plus Standard Care
    Participants receive access to an artificial intelligence-enabled mobile application designed to support real-time classification of food and liquid textures according to standardized dysphagia diet levels. The application provides safety-oriented guidance and prompts for verification of food texture during daily meal preparation and consumption. Participants also receive standard dysphagia education materials and training. The intervention is used in a home setting over the study period to support adherence to prescribed dietary recommendations. Intervention used: AI-Enabled Mobile Application plus Standard Care
  • Active Comparator: Standard Care Education
    Participants receive standard dysphagia education, including guidance on safe swallowing practices and instructions for preparing texture-modified foods and liquids. Educational materials and training are provided, reflecting usual community care. No digital or application-based decision support is provided.

Primary Outcome Measure

Proportion of Meals Adhering to Prescribed Texture Level [ Time Frame: Week 16 ]

Central Contacts

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