Bioengineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): It is uniformly recognized that sedentariness - the sitting disease - is bad for the health of the nation. The solution to reversing sedentariness involves devising and disseminating real-world solutions to promote day-long physical activity and help people who want to, to lose weight and improve their blood glucose, lipids and blood pressure. The Gruve is a novel, portable (30 grams), inexpensive, wire-free, highly adaptable technology that can be used to measure physical activities and body posture in adults and children. We present preliminary data from prototypes of progressing sophistication that attest to our capability to produce The Gruve. The aim of this proposal is to devise an accurate, precise and robust mass-production ready electronic platform called, The Gruve that can measure physical activity and posture in free-living people. Our hypothesis is that The Gruve is an accurate, precise and robust device for measuring physical activity and posture in free-living people. In Phase 1 of this application: We plan to: - Leverage a decade of research in developing accelerometer based devices, to build The Gruve; an attractive, user-friendly device for measuring and promoting physical activity. - Integrate The Gruve with a commercial web-based platform, Muve has developed, tested and deployed in 14 companies. - Test and validate The Gruve against doubly labeled water in the laboratory setting. - Deploy The Gruve integrated solution into 150 people from five commercial accounts the Muve already operates in. The Gruve solution has been devised for scalability. Moreover we have established a nationwide marketing strategy and have corporate accounts prepared to beta-test a packaged Gruve Solution. In Phase 2 of this application: We propose to: - 1: Scale-up The Gruve Solution to 10 companies within Year 1 and forty companies in Year 2. - 2: Develop Gruve-Junior; a scalable activity promoting platform for schools - 3: Deploy The Gruve Solution to individuals (adults and children) who wish to purchase the device and the integrated The Gruve web-based solution into their daily lives. We propose that The Gruve will be an adaptable, simple, accurate and precise electronic platform to measure a range of physical activities in humans. When combined with the other elements of The Gruve Solution, we hope to offer activity, weight loss and improved health to millions of adults and children who desire it. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Physical activity is known to be important in a variety of diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, and diabetes. Physical activity is important tool in obesity and the frailty of ageing. A major problem in improve physical activity is the lack of scalable and effective solutions. We have a decade-long experience in designing valid research-grade tools for measuring physical activity. In this proposal we describe the design and validation of an ideal platform technology for measuring physical activity in free-living people called, The Gruve. The objective of this program is to develop The Gruve Solution; a commercial scalable solution for weight loss that integrates micro- electronics, behavioral therapy, web-based data presentation and social networking to promote physical activity, weight loss and health.