Recruitment for this study will begin soon.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
AGILE is a research study that tests a healthy eating and exercise program brought to you by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is designed to help young adults aged 18-39 years old adopt healthier eating and activity habits and learn effective ways to manage their weight. There are no fees to participate. The 12-week program is delivered using a study smartphone (iOS) app, digital health tools, and daily personalized in-app messages. If you are eligible, you can participate in important research to help us understand more about how we can use mobile technologies to help people make positive changes in their eating and activity.
If you enroll, you will be one of approximately 20 adults participating in the program.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
You may be eligible if you:
Are 18-39 years of age
Have a body mass index between 25 and 45 (see here or use the calculator to compute your BMI)
Want support in building healthy eating and activity habits
Own an iPhone with a data plan
Willing to be assigned to either of the treatment groups
Are willing to travel to our office in Chapel Hill, NC for a brief visit
*Additional eligibility criteria apply.
WHAT WILL I DO IN THE PROGRAM?
The AGILE program uses a simplified and personalized approach to weight loss. You will use a digital scale to track your weight, an app to track your foods and to help make positive changes in your eating, and an activity tracker to help increase your physical activity. You will receive daily personalized messages in the AGILE app that will help you stay on track with your goals. One of the treatment groups will also have access to a chatbot that will provide occasional additional support.
All participants will be asked to complete online questionnaires and at-home weight measurements at the start of the study and at the end (after the 12-week program). In addition, participants will need to come to the research clinic at the UNC Weight Research Program in Chapel Hill, NC to pick up their digital scale and activity tracker. The program will begin with a Zoom kickoff session, possibly with other participants starting at the same time, where you’ll get set up to begin the program.
What are the time commitments of the program?
The online questionnaires will take you about 20-30 minutes each time (at the beginning and end of the study). You will be asked to come to our clinic in Chapel Hill to pick up your devices, this visit will last only about 5 minutes, or longer if you’d like to set up your devices with study staff. The kickoff Zoom session will last up to 45 minutes. During the AGILE program, you can be expected to spend up to 10 minutes per day reading program content and messages, while the group that receives chatbot support may spend additional time engaging in chatbot conversations as desired.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING?
You may benefit from the program by losing some weight now and you will gain valuable tools for managing your weight long-term. The goal is to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight in a sustainable way. Each day, you’ll receive supportive messages created by a team of health professionals including health educators, nutritionists, exercise specialists, and psychologists. These messages will offer personalized feedback and practical strategies to support your eating and physical activity goals. This information is provided to you free of charge as a study participant. You will receive a $30 gift card for the final measurement time point at 12 weeks.
If you are interested in signing up, please go to our online screener below to see if you are eligible to participate.
CONTACT US
If you would like to learn more about the AGILE study, please contact us at (919) 966-5852 or email agilestudy@unc.edu.
This study has been reviewed by the IRB (Study #25-1638).
For questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject, please contact the Institutional Review Board at 919-966-3113 or by email to IRB_subjects@unc.edu.