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

摘要

BackgroundudLifestyle interventions delivered during the retirement transition might promote healthierudageing. We report a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a web-based platform (Living,udEating, Activity and Planning through retirement; LEAP) promoting healthy eating (basedudon a Mediterranean diet (MD)), physical activity (PA) and meaningful social roles.udMethodsudA single blinded, two-arm RCT with individual allocation. Seventy-five adult regular internetudusers living in Northeast England, within two years of retirement, were recruited via employ-uders and randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive LEAP or aud‘udusual careud’udcontrol. Intervention armudparticipants were provided with a pedometer to encourage self-monitoring of PA goals.Feasibility of the trial design and procedures was established by estimating recruitment andudretention rates, and of LEAP from usage data. At baseline and 8-week follow-up, adherenceudto a MD derived from three 24-hour dietary recalls and seven-day PA by accelerometryudwere assessed. Healthy ageing outcomes (including measures of physiological function,udphysical capability, cognition, psychological and social wellbeing) were assessed andudacceptability established by compliance with measurement protocols and completion rates.udThematically analysed, semi-structured, qualitative interviews assessed acceptability of theudintervention, trial design, procedures and outcome measures.udResultsudSeventy participants completed the trial; 48 (96%) participants in the intervention and 22ud(88%) in the control arm. Participants had considerable scope for improvement in diet asudassessed by MD score. LEAP was visited a median of 11 times (range 1ud–ud80) for a meanudtotal time of 2.5 hours (range 5.5 minud–ud8.3 hours).ud‘udMoving moreud‘ud,ud‘udeating wellud’udandud‘udbeingudsocialud’udwere the most visited modules. At interview, participants reported that diet and PAudmodules were important and acceptable within the context of healthy ageing. Participantsudfound both trial procedures and outcome assessments acceptable.udConclusionsudThe trial procedures and the LEAP intervention proved feasible and acceptable. Effective-udness and cost-effectiveness of LEAP to promote healthy lifestyles warrant evaluation in auddefinitive RCT.udTrial RegistrationudClinicalTrials.govudNCT02136381