Heali App Shown to Improve Quality of Life by 2.6x in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Randomized Controlled Trial

LOS ANGELES, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research finds preliminary evidence that Heali, an app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to make personalized nutrition simple, may provide therapeutic benefits to users with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—specifically, improvements in quality of life and bowel habits.

Researchers at Arizona State University's College of Health Solutions tested Heali in a randomized clinical trial pilot study that monitored two groups with IBS who followed a restricted diet designed to manage IBS symptoms over 4 weeks. They found that those who received educational materials plus access to the app reported improved bowel habits and increased satisfaction with life quality at 2.6 times the rate of the control group that received only the educational materials.

"Mobile applications utilizing artificial intelligence are gaining traction as useful tools for supporting management of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension; however, using this technology to treat IBS symptoms hadn't yet been explored," said Nutrition Professor Carol S Johnston, who helped oversee the study. "The results show that the Heali app significantly increased quality of life outcomes in IBS participants over a 30-day intervention period."

Patients with IBS are often recommended a diet low in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) known to increase intestinal discomfort. Because these carbohydrates are found in many common foods, low FODMAP diet adherence is very challenging. An app that monitors an individual's dietary intake and provides personalized nutrition coaching has the potential to help patients with IBS improve adherence and their condition in the long term.

"Approximately 15 million people in the US are affected by IBS, creating an annual economic burden estimated to be as high as $75 billion," says Kyle Dardashti, Heali's founder and CEO. "The trial's clinical evidence shows Heali's potential to reduce IBS symptom severity and support significant economic savings for individuals, employers and the wider health care system, warranting further research."

The research article is freely available at www.jmir.org/2021/3/e24134

About Heali AI:
Heali is a personalized nutrition platform that uses data science and a proprietary database to create an AI powered nutritionist in the palm of your hand. Heali's app uses AI to analyze 1M+ recipes and food products for dietary compliance against dozens of customizable therapeutic diets, making personalized nutrition easy. The California-based team of over 70 people is led by technologists, registered dietitians, and medical doctors.

Press Contact:
Kyle Dardashti
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

Rafferty AJ, Hall R, Johnston CS
A Novel Mobile App (Heali) for Disease Treatment in Participants With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
J Med Internet Res 2021;23(3):e24134
DOI: 10.2196/24134

SOURCE Heali AI