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summary
MoodFood tackles stress-eating with mindfulness, promoting attention, intention and introspection. This project was carried out independently as part of the Designing Consumer-Health Technologies course with feedback from peers and professors.
the goal
Addressing emotional eating, the DBI (Digital Behavioural Intervention) is designed with human factors and ergonomics in mind. By incorporating Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs), this intervention aims to break harmful patterns and promote better health outcomes.
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the problem
Stress Eating:
Eating in response to emotions rather than to satisfy a physical hunger
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it's effects
Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high bp, & fatigue are health risks. Feelings of guilt and regret may impact self-esteem and mental health.
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the solution
Introducing MoodFood: It promotes awareness through mindfulness, helping users understand what they do and why they do it.
the solution
MoodFood provides a place for check-ins and reminders. It is your digital buddy helping you through a problem. It helps
1) Recognize the problem
2) Identify patterns
3) Understand the reason behind it.
It uses mindfulness to help do so. Mindfulness brings awareness & helps eat with intention and attention. Using a three-pronged approach, it offers a holistic solution.
Mindfulness practices
Behavioral goal setting
Nutritional education
the process
GOAL:
Design an intervention bring about a behavioural change
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What is the behaviour?
What is Emotional Eating?
What is it's effects?
Who is the target population?
How can the change be brought about?
Literature Review on behaviour change
the behaviour
Stress-eating is using food to cope with emotions like seeking comfort, stress relief, or as a reward. It could manifest as eating a bag of chips during exam time, eating a bar of chocolate when bored, or grabbing a pint of ice cream after a hard day at work.
it's effects
Eating disorders & weight related issues such as high BP, diabetes, and fatigue.
Comfort food activates the brain's reward centre during negative moods, perpetuating a cycle.
Feelings of guilt, shame, and regret which affect mental health.
target pop
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As per the American Psychological Association, “18-33 yrs old suffer the highest levels of stress” with the main concern for job & money.
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In a fast-paced high-stress portion of life, time for introspection and developing self-awareness is limited.
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As young adults, there is a learning curve to knowing oneself and one's mannerisms
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It is a formative time for self-improvement and bettering one's health and habits.
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Desiring self-improvement amidst stressful circumstances creates the challenge
Here is a list of noteable papers that grew my understanding on behaviour change
Self-monitoring, self-tracking & self-experimentation
Behavioral economics
Habits and operant learning
An overview of self-monitoring research in assessment and treatment
| 1999 | Korotitsch, W. J., & Nelson-Gray, R. O.
Reactive self-monitoring: The effects of response desirability, goal setting,& feedback
| 1974 | Kazdin, A. E.
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Self-experimentation as a source of new ideas: Ten examples about sleep, mood, health, and weight
| 2004 | Roberts, Seth
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Shaping perceptions to motivate healthy behaviour: The role of message framing
| 1997 | Rothman, A. J., & Salovey, P.
Persuasive Performance Feedback: The Effect of Framing on Self-Efficacy
| 2013 | Choe, E.K., Lee, B., Munson, S.A., Pratt, W., Kientz, J.A.
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Differential reinforcement procedures | 2011 | Hanley, G.P. & Tiger, J.H.
How do people adhere to goals when willpower is low? The profits (and pitfalls) of strong habits
| 2013 | Neal, D. T., Wood, W., & Drolet, A.
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the solution: mindfulness
disconnect the relationship between stress and eating though mindfulness
'Mindful Eating': A transformative approach to food by fostering non-judgmental awareness of physical & emotional sensations while eating. The three-pronged intervention addresses impulse control, self-regulation, and habits. It combines mindfulness practices with goal setting and nutritional education.
interaction with the intervention
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design of the intervention:
user journey
user wants to make a change: help user learn about the behaviour and introspect
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User checks in post emotional eating event: help assess and reflect
User encounters with an emotional eating event: provide coping strategies
user stages + solutions
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correlation of final features with the user journey map
user wants to make a change: help user learn about the behaviour and introspect
User checks in post emotional eating event: help assess and reflect
User encounters with an emotional eating event: provide coping strategies
final screens
![[Mockup] iPhone 29.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_dfc99130fe8047bea9f0441b7f9a0588~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_555,h_850,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2029.png)
Zuzu is the user's digital buddy humanizing the interaction between user & app
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![[Mockup] iPhone 16.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_74d8d35e89a1453e96133e532a1cd82f~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_565,h_864,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2016.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 24.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_c4d304a33bd54564ad5aa561fa2926a4~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_566,h_864,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2024.png)
Zuzu asks questions during check-ins' and congratulates them when they're done!
Zuzu is animated & lives on the home screen.
![[Mockup] iPhone 17.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_5c737d5dbb964e008673e9e64301467c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_103,w_887,h_1151/fill/w_557,h_723,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2017.png)
The user can use the points they've collected by reading weekly tips to buy clothes for Zuzu
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![[Mockup] iPhone 17.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_5c737d5dbb964e008673e9e64301467c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_84,y_0,w_803,h_1288/fill/w_516,h_828,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2017.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 25.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_f8faa7db191e4daeb27f71a949142acd~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_887,h_1259/fill/w_573,h_814,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2025.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 20.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_0b5e741709db4c37bda819094a2b227c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_887,h_1279/fill/w_573,h_827,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2020.png)
Upon abandonment, user is prompted with these answers as a reminder
Notification with a prompt to journal will be triggered when user is in a stressed state as a pre-emptive measure.
This acts as an outlet to recognize a state of stress & address the cause behind it.
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To check in with themselves and with the app, the just-in-time feature can be used. The forms are conditional and options will adapt to the user's answers. This screen is what is shown if user selects 'Not hungry, but I want to eat'. If 'I'm physically hungry' is chosen, the next screen congratylates them for check-in in without further assistance.
3
![[Mockup] iPhone 24.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_c4d304a33bd54564ad5aa561fa2926a4~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_171,y_108,w_672,h_1182/fill/w_440,h_773,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2024.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 17.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_5c737d5dbb964e008673e9e64301467c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_87,w_887,h_1268/fill/w_570,h_815,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2017.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 23.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_2f821f18fcb94ffbad42161c63ae38cb~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_113,w_887,h_1150/fill/w_579,h_750,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2023.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 21.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_b6bb445e9e7a4648b239a5a5fab7de48~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_99,w_887,h_1256/fill/w_574,h_813,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2021.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 27.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_cc57d8de869d4eeebeb09d27f1519aca~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_111,w_887,h_1244/fill/w_581,h_815,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2027.png)
![[Mockup] iPhone 19.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f4f0ba_20b27bb4715341a185692220cf09ad26~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_102,w_837,h_1195/fill/w_551,h_787,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMockup%5D%20iPhone%2019.png)
Tips will provide Stress management lessons and act as educational component
User is meant to read 4 tips in a week. If completed, user can buy clothing, a scene change and food for Zuzu who lives on the homepage.
A place for reflection & review
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interactive prototype
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challenges & opportunities
For further iterations of this project:
I would like to add more pull factors and explore the technique of anchoring the act of eating to the act of using the app.
I would conduct user testing and adjustments.
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Build out the dashboard feature further and give actionable suggestions based on it.
Features in case of app abandonment can be further looked into as well.
I would also consider rotating suggestive prompts with new ones can help keep the content fresh and disallow habituation.