Trial reportThe Journal of nutrition2025
Validity of the PortionSize and MyFitnessPal Smartphone Applications for Estimating Dietary Intake: A Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial.
Trial report in The Journal of nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05166226 (The Reliability and Validity of the PortionSize™ and MyFitnessPal Apps), which is not on this map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Reliability and Validity of the PortionSize™ and MyFitnessPal Apps (Study 2: Semi-controlled, Free-living Evaluation)
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- The validity of measuring energy and nutrient intake with the Remote Food Photography Method (RFPM) in adolescents.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Trial
- The Effects of Continuous vs. Intermittent Caloric Restriction on Fat Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Nutrients · 2026Trial
- Validity of the PortionSize App for Assessing Children's Dietary Intake: Results From a Pilot Study Conducted in Controlled and Free-Living Settings.Pediatric obesity · 2026Article
- Transforming Obesity Care With Digital Therapeutics: Mobile Health Apps, Clinical Evidence, and Regulatory Considerations.Journal of obesity · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPortionSize is a smartphone application that utilizes augmented reality and portion size templates to facilitate users' food intake estimates. MyFitnessPal is a commercial application that tracks food intake based on user's portion size estimates. Both applications provide real-time feedback on dietary intake, with PortionSize also providing feedback on intake of MyPlate food groups.
objectivesThis study aimed to test validity of both applications for accurately measuring food intake compared with weighed food.
methodsIn a within-subjects randomized counterbalanced design, we tested the validity of both applications for accurately measuring food intake compared with weighed food. In semicontrolled free-living settings, adults received a cooler each day that contained preweighed foods and were instructed to consume only food and beverages provided. Participants used PortionSize and MyFitnessPal during 3-d periods separated by ∼1-wk with prior training on each application. After study periods, participants completed a User Preference Survey (UPS). Two one-sided t-tests, with ±18% equivalence bounds, were used to test whether energy intake estimated with applications was statistically equivalent to weighed intake.
resultsThe analysis sample (n = 44; 1 dropped) consisted of 55% females, with a mean (standard deviation) age of 44 y (11) y. PortionSize (P = 0.032) and MyFitnessPal (P < 0.001) energy intake (kcal) estimates were equivalent to weighed intake (mean percent error 8.0% compared with 3.7%, respectively). MyFitnessPal had a smaller relative absolute error (P < 0.001) for energy intake compared with PortionSize. PortionSize and weighed food group estimations were equivalent for protein intake (P = 0.002). Although estimates for vegetables, fruits, and dairy were not equivalent, the magnitude of error was relatively low (<0.5 cup Eq). For the UPS, 82% of participants preferred using MyFitnessPal compared with PortionSize (18%; P < 0.001).
conclusionsIn semicontrolled free-living settings, both applications provided equivalent energy intake estimates compared with weighed foods; however, PortionSize showed greater error for energy and lower user preference than MyFitnessPal, highlighting the need for improvements to decrease error and enhance user experience. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05166226.
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