Over the course of each day, you make more than 200 decisions relating to what you eat. “Wheat bread or 7-grain?” “Skim or soy in my coffee?” “What’s the best snack to hold me over at the gym?” Add in stress, depression or just plain boredom and it gets even more challenging to make smart choices. It’s no wonder two-thirds of adults struggle with their weight, according to the Campaign to End Obesity.
Fortunately, Boston-based NuPlanit turns healthy eating into a no-brainer. This isn't just a calorie counting app, either: The program connects users with knowledgeable nutrition experts offering up sound advice and support when they most need it and ultimately empowering them to make sound, sustainable diet-related decisions. More importantly, though, the app aims to shift the conversation from just what we're eating to address the why behind it – in other words, the social, mood and environmental factors that impact what we consume.
NuPlanit CEO Alaina Hanlon Adams, who has a PhD in mechanical engineering, specializing in remote health monitoring, says that that idea for NuPlanit sprouted out of her own struggle with a nutrition-related illness.
“I knew what I needed to do, I had a great care team, I was motivated, yet my stressful, busy life kept me going back to my old, comfortable, destructive habits,” she said. “I found that I was more successful when I had regular check-ins with my dietitian, however I needed more support during my everyday life.”
Adams began exploring how preventative technologies – another one of her specialties – could be used in the health realm. At the time, she was co-founder of Phenotype IT Inc., a startup that provided health and wellness software to help individuals and organizations better identify and manage chronic health issues. Then in 2013, it dawned on her: It was time to funnel her expertise into a new venture focused on nutrition. She had the personal experience that enabled her to understand the problem, and the engineering training to potentially solve it.
Of course, there isn’t just a one-size-fits-all solution. Every person has unique needs for optimal health, so “balanced eating” doesn’t actually have one definition. That’s why NuPlanit, which leverages technologies founded on machine learning, behavior science and the evidence-based principles of phenotyping, uses a nutrition scoring algorithm that’s customized to meet every individual’s daily requirements. It’s super easy to log your food, but you don’t necessarily need to enter in everything you eat to reap the benefits of the app, like personalized meal plan and recipe recommendations. Best of all, you’re given feedback on how to improve your nutrition score (rated from 0-100) throughout the day, whether out to lunch with coworkers, at the supermarket or grabbing takeout for dinner on the way home.
Simply tap the Nutrition Lifeline button when you could really use some help and you’re put in touch with your existing dietitian or one of the network’s trusted experts (which will be selected based on your geographic location, health insurance carrier and specific needs). Along the way, you’re free to share your progress with the nutritionist so they can offer helpful tips – and any information you offer is kept completely private.
Since exercise is clearly a critical component of health, NuPlanit also automatically keeps track of your physical activity and assists you in achieving your daily goals.
Obviously, breaking bad habits is easier said than done. So NuPlanit leverages cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques to target support at times when it’s crucial. While users aren’t required to interact with a nutrition professional, the company stressed that users tend to reap more benefits when they do so.
NuPlanit was selected as the first group of Massachusetts startups to participate in the Valley Venture Mentor program in January. On the board of advisors for the Boston-based company are both John Brooks, president and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center, as well as Christina Severin, president and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconness Care Organization.
NuPlanit – which is still in beta – will be available sometime in spring 2015. But it’s already being used by some private practice dietitians and their patients. When released, it will be free to download; but if you want added levels of support – like text and video counseling sessions with a nutritionist – you can pay a variable monthly subscription fee. The company's Indiegogo campaign, which launched late November and closes Jan. 13 and has raised $6,000 of the $50,000 goal, offers an array of rewards to supporters depending on the contribution amount, including a month of premium benefits and membership in the user advisory group.
There are some exciting things to come with NuPlanit in the coming year: Namely, expert-led support communities and an enhanced personalized grocery and restaurant advisor (complete with coupons and incentives).
So if your New Year’s resolution – or goal in general – has something to do with eating healthier, you might be one step closer to success.
Image of woman with tablet via Shutterstock.
