Joint R&D 2023: The development of an app-based lifestyle intervention to tackle pain, inflammation and gut microbiome disturbances in patients with chronic low back pain

APPetite wants to address the unmet need of chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients by developing an innovative pain management approach, consisting of personalized lifestyle advice via an inventive application called ZEST. CLBP is a major issue due to its prevalence affecting 20% of the population, leading to significant limitations in daily activities and quality of life, as well as high healthcare and economic cost associated with its treatment and management. Our innovation ambition builds on the hypothesis that a plant-based diet that maximizes the consumption of wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts and that minimizes the intake of animal-based products will help CLBP patients to improve their gut microbiome and as such reduce inflammation and manage pain. Subsequently, the patient-tailored research study to gather data on the interplay between microbiome, inflammation and pain in CLBP patients will feed into a mobile app called ZEST, which combines personalized nutritional guidance and recipes, automated shopping lists, grocery shopping, and professional coaching. By providing step-by-step guidance and empowering patients in their healthcare journey, ZEST aims to enhance adherence to the nutritional program and facilitate long-lasting behavioral changes.
Within the APPetite project, CLBP patients engage in a 12-week program employing the ZEST smartphone app, which will guide them through both dietary and physical exercise regimens tailored to their individual needs. The app's algorithm will personalize and adjust interventions based on continuous feedback. Follow-up evaluations will be carried out at the end of the intervention, as well as at 3 and 6 months post-intervention, to assess the long-term effects. Key outcome measures will include pain, anthropometric measurements, as well as laboratory evaluations of microbiome composition and inflammation markers to elucidate potential physiological changes. A detailed overview can be found in appendix 2.
This project is set up by a promising young consortium of a Brussels-based company and knowledge institution. It brings together the company Nutrinomics that developed the innovative mobile application ZEST for nutritional guidance, and two research teams at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, i.e., Pain In Motion (PAIN), a research group that focuses on the intersection of pain and body movement, and AIMS, a team renowned for their work in microbiome analyses and the application of AI in medical sciences.