Click on the questions below to read the answers. We will add to this section as the project develops and we receive questions from participants or from the general public. If you question is not featured, you can ask it via support@foodandyou.ch.
Citizen science is when members of the general public volunteer in scientific research activities. It increases scientific knowledge, raises people’s awareness of scientific questions and ensures that science reflects and represents the general population. See Citizen Science for more information.
How does this app MyFoodRepo work?
The application MyFoodRepo uses an open source database, the Open Food Repository, and a machine learning algorithm. Combined, these allow you to easily record what you have been eating, either from scanning a barcode or from having the software identify food in your photographs. See MyFoodRepo for more information.
Who is organizing and financing the project?
This project was initiated and is developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)'s Digital Epidemiology Lab and is financed by the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen foundation. . To see exactly who is working on the project, visit the team.
Are there any fees to participate or do we receive a fee for participating?
We cover all material and shipping costs for cohorts B and C. Cohort V participants must pay for their materials. No financial compensation will be given to the participants.
What are the material costs for the volunteer (V) cohort ?
Material costs: 80CHF for microbiome analysis, 65CHF for glucose sensor, and 65CHF for the reader to read glucose values (it can be replaced by a smartphone/iPhone app with phone with NFC, you can try to download the app "FreeStyle LibreLink", if you are able to downlaod the app on your phone, you will not have to buy the reader).
Unfortunately not, the project is currently limited to people residing in Switzerland.
Generation, transmission, storage, and analysis of health-related personal data and the storage of biological samples within this project strictly follow the current Swiss legal requirements for data protection and will be performed according to the Swiss Human Research Ordinance (HRO) Art. 5. The health-related personal data captured during this project and biological samples will be stored anonymously with a code to safeguard participants’ confidentiality. More info
In which language is your website translated and in which language can I participate?
Currently, the website and study are intended for people who understand English or French. In the coming months, we will translate the site into German in order to open up participation to a larger part of the population living in Switzerland.
What will my commitments be if I join the study?
During 14 days, you will be required to: (1) Take a photo of your food and drinks with your smartphone. (2) Track or log your physical activity and sleeping time. (3) Wear a sensor that will continuously measure your glucose level. You will also have to answer online questionnaires and send in a sample of your stool.
How do I register for the study?
It’s simple! Click on 'Get started' at the bottom of our home page, or simply click here. Then, watch the short video and read the instructions.
I am diabetic, can I participate?
Yes, you can participate, but not in the main cohort as the standardized breakfasts could be an issue.
What do you expect me to eat for standardized breakfasts?
Standardised breakfasts are described in a table on the page Participant information.
Can I register if I do not exactly meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
Unfortunately, no.
Can I choose the date to start the study?
Yes, you can sign up at any time. The study will be open all year round. Also, once you have completed the preparation steps and received the material, you will be able to select the date to start the two weeks of tracking.
I swim or practice water sport regularly, can I participate?
The sensor is water-resistant and can be worn while showering. In the notice, it is said that it can be worn while bathing and swimming as well, however, by experience, it can easily detach during prolonged immersion. You should then avoid swimming during this two weeks. In any case do not take your sensor deeper than 1 meter or immerse it longer than 30 minutes in water.
I do intense sports regularly, can I participate?
if you have a BMI (Body Mass Index) below 18.5 or a lean musculature (for example, if you are an elite athlete), those are not exclusion criteria, but we do not recommend you to participate. The filament of the glucose sensor could reach your muscle, which is not dangerous, but on the one hand is painful and on the other hand, distorts the data.
I follow a special diet, can I participate?
If you can eat what is requested for standardised breakfasts, you can participate.
I have signed up, when can I participate? What should I do now?
Reread the email you received with the subject 'Sign up completed'. So you have nothing to do but wait for news from us. We have received a large number of requests and will stagger them to allow the selected participants to be carefully monitored and to maintain continuity from beginning to end of participation in the study in terms of equipment, data processing and laboratory analyses. Applications will be evaluated in batches and you will receive an email when a decision has been made either to include you in the main study or to offer you a so-called 'voluntary' participation in which you will have to pay for the material to participate. The team is doing its best to allow everyone to participate in the main study but given the importance of reflecting the entire population, some groups could be limited and if necessary a 'voluntary' participation will be proposed to allow interested people to participate anyway. In the case where you have enrolled in the voluntary cohort, you simply have to wait, but you will be able to participate in any case.
What if my sensor comes off before the end of the tracking weeks?
Write to us via the contact form, we will decide together if we send you a new sensor to continue or if you should stop the study.
Can I postpone the days of standardized breakfasts?
Normally not, it is important to follow the proposed schedule so that we can compare reactions to standardized meals between participants. If you really cannot eat your standardized breakfast, for example if you are travelling and cannot prepare your glucose drinks, you can postpone it by one or two days, in this case, you should specify this in the notes at the bottom of the tracking weeks form.
Is the blood glucose sensor painful?
No, but you may feel a slight numbness in your arm. However, it should not be painful.
Can I take the plane or pass through the security doors with my sensor?
Yes, you can board a plane with the sensor and pass through the security doors.
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