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Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Meaningful Social Connections Compared with Usual Care Control in People of Retirement Age Recruited from Workplaces

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Lara, J 
O'Brien, N 
Godfrey, A 
Heaven, B 
Evans, EH 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle interventions delivered during the retirement transition might promote healthier ageing. We report a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a web-based platform (Living, Eating, Activity and Planning through retirement; LEAP) promoting healthy eating (based on a Mediterranean diet (MD)), physical activity (PA) and meaningful social roles. METHODS: A single blinded, two-arm RCT with individual allocation. Seventy-five adult regular internet users living in Northeast England, within two years of retirement, were recruited via employers and randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive LEAP or a 'usual care' control. Intervention arm participants were provided with a pedometer to encourage self-monitoring of PA goals. Feasibility of the trial design and procedures was established by estimating recruitment and retention rates, and of LEAP from usage data. At baseline and 8-week follow-up, adherence to a MD derived from three 24-hour dietary recalls and seven-day PA by accelerometry were assessed. Healthy ageing outcomes (including measures of physiological function, physical capability, cognition, psychological and social wellbeing) were assessed and acceptability established by compliance with measurement protocols and completion rates. Thematically analysed, semi-structured, qualitative interviews assessed acceptability of the intervention, trial design, procedures and outcome measures. RESULTS: Seventy participants completed the trial; 48 (96%) participants in the intervention and 22 (88%) in the control arm. Participants had considerable scope for improvement in diet as assessed by MD score. LEAP was visited a median of 11 times (range 1-80) for a mean total time of 2.5 hours (range 5.5 min- 8.3 hours). 'Moving more', 'eating well' and 'being social' were the most visited modules. At interview, participants reported that diet and PA modules were important and acceptable within the context of healthy ageing. Participants found both trial procedures and outcome assessments acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The trial procedures and the LEAP intervention proved feasible and acceptable. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of LEAP to promote healthy lifestyles warrant evaluation in a definitive RCT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02136381.

Description

Keywords

Female, Health Promotion, Humans, Internet, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Retirement, Single-Blind Method, Social Behavior

Journal Title

PLoS One

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1932-6203
1932-6203

Volume Title

11

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/K023187/1)
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/G007462/1)
Wellcome Trust (087636/Z/08/Z)
Medical Research Council (MR/K02325X/1)
Medical Research Council (G0900686)
This research was undertaken by the LiveWell Programme team which is funded by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) Cross-Council research initiative in partnership with the UK Health Departments. The LLHW Funding Partners are: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates, National Institute for Health Research/The Department of Health, The Health and Social Care Research & Development of the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), and Wales Office of Research and Development for Health and Social Care, Welsh Assembly Government (Grant no. G0900686). JCM’s research through the Centre for Ageing and Vitality is funded by the MRC and BBSRC. During this study, MW was partly funded and FFS was fully funded as members of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, a UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Funding for Fuse from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, ESRC, MRC, and the National Institute for Health Research, under the auspices of the UKCRC, is gratefully acknowledged. LR and AG are supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Unit (BRU) based at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the funders listed above.