2018 Canada Food Study

The initial screening questions will take no longer than two minutes. The online survey is similar to the one(s) you have completed in previous years (but shorter), and will take about 30 minutes. Downloading and setting up the app will take a few minutes. Your location data will be synced automatically if the Itinerum app is left running in the background for the study week. At the end of the 7-day period, you will be asked to complete an online survey that will take about 10 minutes.

The study app is free to use, and designed to minimize use of your phone’s cellular data. Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi at least once a day so that your data can be automatically uploaded throughout the week.

Collecting location information using Itinerum will not consume any data whatsoever. However, automatic uploading of this information to the server will use data under some conditions. The Android version only uploads automatically when you have a WiFi connection. The iOS version uploads data 3 times per day and favours using WiFi to upload data. However, if Wi-Fi is not available, it will use your cellular connection – so, iPhone users should connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible. Depending on your phone and how much you travel, typical usage is up to a few hundred KB per day. Itinerum will upload data when it is put in the foreground (regardless of cellular or WiFi connection); however, it should be left running in the background and you should not need to open it. If it is a concern, you can monitor the cellular usage on your phone.

Itinerum will run in the background with some increase in battery consumption. We have tried to reduce battery consumption so as not to alter your charging schedule, but continued use of this application may significantly decrease its battery life. The amount of battery consumption will depend on your device and how much time you spend traveling. Itinerum does not record location information if you are stopped (or, on Android, if you are in a user-selected recognized WiFi zone).

It’s a good idea to keep a charger with you if you will be travelling a lot in a day.

No, only the researchers working on this project will have access to your location history. The data collected using the Itinerum app will be automatically and securely transmitted and recorded on a secure server hosted in Canada and administered by Prof. Zachary Patterson of Concordia University. After study data is collected, it will be stored for a minimum of 7 years on a secure University of Waterloo server. Information collected using the apps will be used only for research purposes by the CFS study team. No third parties will retain the data collected by the apps, and it will not be used for any other purpose.

No, your participation is anonymous. At no time will you be asked to disclose your name or identity (Note: you may use a nickname for receiving payment), and your email address will be stored separately from other study data. Your locations and your phone’s model will be recorded. All of this information will be entirely confidential.

As soon as you complete the online screening survey and consent to participate. Once you set up and launch Itinerum, the app will run in the background on your phone. Do not close or sign out of the app, and leave it running in the background for a period of 7 FULL DAYS.

You should get an email at the end of the 7-day period with a link to complete the final survey. Your data from the app is saved automatically, so you can close and delete the app at this point. However, to make sure all your data has been uploaded, please connect to WiFi and open the Itinerum app one last time before you uninstall it. If you have an Android phone, select “Sync” from the menu in the top right corner of the app before you uninstall.

To uninstall the apps:

iPhone: Go to your Home Screen, tap and hold the Itinerum icon until an “X” appears on it, then touch the “X” and select “Delete”. Repeat with the daily food survey shortcut icon, if you made one.

Android: To uninstall Itinerum: go to your Apps, tap and hold the Itinerum icon until an “uninstall” option appears, then drag the icon to it and confirm by clicking “uninstall”. To delete the daily food survey shortcut (if you made one): go to your Home Screen, tap and hold the icon until a “remove” or “delete” option appears, then drag the icon to it. Individual phones may vary, so consult your phone’s instruction manual for details.

At the end of the final online survey, you will be asked to enter information for receiving an Interac® e-transfer. It will be sent within four business days of finishing the final survey.

Itinerum is an app that is part of the Canada Food Study. The app will log your location data for 7 days, as long as you keep the app running in the background. The purpose of this part of the study is to better understand the relationship between people’s travel and food habits. Itinerum was developed by Associate Professor Zachary Patterson at Concordia University, and has been used for multiple studies conducted in partnership with Professor Patterson’s TRIP Lab app. In 2016, the CFS Smartphone Study used a version of this app called CFSMobile. For additional information about the Itinerum app, please contact: zachary.patterson@concordia.ca

The Canada Food Study (CFS) is being conducted by Professor David Hammond of the University of Waterloo, in order to better understand food behaviours among young people in Canada. It is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Find out more at www.canadafoodstudy.ca.

For additional information about the Canada Food Study, please contact us at foodstudy@uwaterloo.ca.

This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee (ORE#30893). If you have concerns or questions about your involvement in the project, you may contact the Office of Research Ethics, University of Waterloo, at 519-888-4567, ext. 36005 or ore-ceo@uwaterloo.ca.