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. 2020 Jul 10;8(7):e17558.
doi: 10.2196/17558.

A Physical Activity and Diet Program Delivered by Artificially Intelligent Virtual Health Coach: Proof-of-Concept Study

Carol Ann Maher  1 , Courtney Rose Davis  1 , Rachel Grace Curtis  1 , Camille Elizabeth Short  2 , Karen Joy Murphy  3
Affiliations

A Physical Activity and Diet Program Delivered by Artificially Intelligent Virtual Health Coach: Proof-of-Concept Study

Carol Ann Maher et al. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. .

Abstract

Background: Poor diet and physical inactivity are leading modifiable causes of death and disease. Advances in artificial intelligence technology present tantalizing opportunities for creating virtual health coaches capable of providing personalized support at scale.

Objective: This proof of concept study aimed to test the feasibility (recruitment and retention) and preliminary efficacy of physical activity and Mediterranean-style dietary intervention (MedLiPal) delivered via artificially intelligent virtual health coach.

Methods: This 12-week single-arm pre-post study took place in Adelaide, Australia, from March to August 2019. Participants were inactive community-dwelling adults aged 45 to 75 years, recruited through news stories, social media posts, and flyers. The program included access to an artificially intelligent chatbot, Paola, who guided participants through a computer-based individualized introductory session, weekly check-ins, and goal setting, and was available 24/7 to answer questions. Participants used a Garmin Vivofit4 tracker to monitor daily steps, a website with educational materials and recipes, and a printed diet and activity log sheet. Primary outcomes included feasibility (based on recruitment and retention) and preliminary efficacy for changing physical activity and diet. Secondary outcomes were body composition (based on height, weight, and waist circumference) and blood pressure.

Results: Over 4 weeks, 99 potential participants registered expressions of interest, with 81 of those screened meeting eligibility criteria. Participants completed a mean of 109.8 (95% CI 1.9-217.7) more minutes of physical activity at week 12 compared with baseline. Mediterranean diet scores increased from a mean of 3.8 out of 14 at baseline, to 9.6 at 12 weeks (mean improvement 5.7 points, 95% CI 4.2-7.3). After 12 weeks, participants lost an average 1.3 kg (95% CI -0.1 to -2.5 kg) and 2.1 cm from their waist circumference (95% CI -3.5 to -0.7 cm). There were no significant changes in blood pressure. Feasibility was excellent in terms of recruitment, retention (90% at 12 weeks), and safety (no adverse events).

Conclusions: An artificially intelligent virtual assistant-led lifestyle-modification intervention was feasible and achieved measurable improvements in physical activity, diet, and body composition at 12 weeks. Future research examining artificially intelligent interventions at scale, and for other health purposes, is warranted.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; chatbot; lifestyle; physical activity; virtual assistant.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of the technology underpinning Paola, the virtual health coach.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Participant flow through the study.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The percentage of participants completing the weekly virtual health coach check-in across the 12-week intervention period.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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