Trial results for an adaptive text-message intervention aimed at improving dietary habits among Colorectal Cancer survivors were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-01-22, showing participants responded to 96% of messages that asked for a reply.
Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors often face challenges in maintaining optimal dietary habits post-treatment. Despite strong evidence that a high-fiber diet rich in whole grains lowers the risk of death from CRC, many survivors do not meet recommended intakes for whole grains or fiber. Dietary interventions are a promising strategy for reducing CRC mortality, and text message-based interventions offer an accessible tool for reaching diverse populations to support behavior change.
Trial design
This completed study, titled "Optimization of Adaptive Text Messages for Cancer Survivors (OATS II)", enrolled 46 participants. The trial focused on individuals with Colon Adenocarcinoma, Colorectal Carcinoma, and Rectal Adenocarcinoma. The intervention involved adaptive text messages designed to help survivors eat more whole grain foods and less refined grain foods. The study was conducted with no specified phase.
Key results
The trial results provided several key measurements regarding the intervention's feasibility, acceptability, and impact on dietary intake:
- The median percentage of text messages that participants responded to that asked for a reply was 96 percentage of text messages.
- The overall median score on the System Usability Scale (SUS) was 72.5 score on a scale.
- The overall median score on the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) was 4 score on a scale.
- The overall median score on the Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) was 4 scores on a scale.
- The median score on the Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) was 4 scores on a scale.
- The median change in percent of grains that are whole reported on the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was 22.1 percentage of grains consumed.
- The mean change in total daily fiber intake reported on the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was 4.3 grams per day, with a Standard Deviation of 9.9.
What this means
The posted results indicate that an adaptive text-message intervention is highly engaging and acceptable for colorectal cancer survivors. The high median response rate of 96% to interactive messages suggests strong participant engagement with the intervention. Usability and acceptability scores, with median values of 72.5 for SUS and 4 for AIM, IAM, and FIM, further support the practical application of this text-message approach. Importantly, the intervention was associated with a median increase of 22.1% in whole grain consumption and a mean increase of 4.3 grams per day in fiber intake. These findings suggest that adaptive text messaging could be an effective and well-received method to promote healthier dietary behaviors, specifically increasing whole grain and fiber intake, among colorectal cancer survivors, potentially contributing to improved long-term health outcomes.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05746195, titled "Optimization of Adaptive Text Messages for Cancer Survivors (OATS II)", were posted on 2026-01-22 on clinicaltrials.gov.