Two recent publications by HealthyW8 consortium members advance personalised obesity prevention. One introduces a pilot protocol using lifestyle recommender systems, while the other reviews multimodal biomarkers for improved obesity risk prediction.
The HealthyW8 Project consortium is proud to spotlight two recently published scientific articles that further our understanding of personalised lifestyle support and the multifaceted nature of obesity risk.
Pilot Study Protocol: Personalized Intervention Portfolios to Prevent and Control Obesity
A new open-access pilot study protocol in the Journal of Personalized Medicine details the HealthyW8 Project’s approach to empowering healthier lifestyle behaviours using tailored intervention portfolios. The article “Empowering Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Through Personalized Intervention Portfolios Using a Healthy Lifestyle Recommender System to Prevent and Control Obesity in Young Adults” describes the design and rationale of a pilot study aiming to refine personalised obesity prevention strategies.
This study protocol outlines the development and application of a healthy lifestyle recommender system that integrates individual data (diet, physical activity, behavioural patterns) to generate customised support portfolios that could improve engagement and outcomes in young adults at risk of obesity. By combining state-of-the-art personalized recommendations with real-world data collection and behaviour change techniques, the project aims to enhance self-management and long-term adherence to healthy habits. The protocol provides the foundation for future intervention testing and evaluation within the HealthyW8 framework.
Review: Multimodal Biomarkers for Obesity Risk Prediction
In the journal Advances in Nutrition, consortium members contributed to a comprehensive scoping review titled “Multimodal (Bio)Markers and Risk of Obesity”, which synthesises current research on the complexity of obesity risk profiling. This article addresses the pressing need to move beyond single metrics like body mass index (BMI) to capture the biological, behavioural, and environmental determinants of obesity.
The review emphasises that isolated biomarkers are insufficient for accurate risk stratification. Instead, it recommends multimodal integration combining classical biomarkers (e.g., insulin, leptin), multi-omics signals (e.g., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics), behavioural measures (diet, activity patterns), and psychological traits, to better predict individual obesity risk. Advanced analytic tools such as machine learning and artificial intelligence are highlighted for their potential to synthesise these diverse data streams into actionable insights. This comprehensive scoping review maps the current landscape of multimodal biomarkers and charts a path forward for obesity prediction and personalised preventive strategies.
Advancing HealthyW8’s Mission
Together, these publications underscore the HealthyW8 Project’s commitment to precision prevention and evidence-based lifestyle support. The pilot study protocol shows how recommender systems can personalise interventions in practice, while the multimodal biomarkers review emphasises the scientific imperative to better characterise obesity risk through integrated data. Both contributions help lay the groundwork for more effective, individualised strategies to prevent obesity and promote health across diverse populations.