None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Older Australians are now heavier than they were a generation ago, with 75% of this age group classified as either overweight or obese. Much of this overweight/obesity is likely to have resulted from poor diet and/or low levels of physical activity, which in the long-term contributes to chronic disease and related conditions. This intervention research will actively promote improvements in levels of physical activity, strength exercises and healthy diet via a home-based intervention that will educate, support and motivate participants through a range of strategies. Specifically, this intervention will target adults aged 50 to 69 years at risk of metabolic syndrome, residing in regional Australia (Albany). Participants will be required to be insufficiently active (< 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week), and satisfy the diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome (a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease). It is hypothesised that by the end of the intervention, the intervention group participants compared to the control group will show significant improvements in: metabolic syndrome parameters; blood pressure; body weight; physical activity level; fat intake; fruit and vegetable consumption; sugar and fibre intake. The study will provide information on the impact of the physical activity and nutrition intervention on a range of physical and clinical variables in the older population in a regional setting.
Interventions
As part of this 6-month home-based intervention, each participant (n=250) will be provided with a package designed to educate, motivate, and support improvement in nutrition and levels of physical activity through goal setting, based on the principles of Self-Determination Theory and Motivational Interviewing. The program will empower individuals to self-manage and monitor their health behaviours and weight within their own environment (home-base). The approach will take particular care to empha
As part of this 6-month home-based intervention, each participant (n=250) will be provided with a package designed to educate, motivate, and support improvement in nutrition and levels of physical activity through goal setting, based on the principles of Self-Determination Theory and Motivational Interviewing. The program will empower individuals to self-manage and monitor their health behaviours and weight within their own environment (home-base). The approach will take particular care to emphasise the importance of regular self-weighing which is widely associated with greater weight loss (showing a 1 to 3 BMI unit advantage over individuals who do not self-weight frequently). The Albany Physical Activity & Nutrition (APAN) program is based on the physical activity and nutrition programs (Physical Activity & Nutrition for Seniors [PANS] and Perth Active Living Seniors [PALS]) specifically designed for older adults. It will incorporate objective measures not previously included in the PALS and PANS studies and will be adapted for the younger age group and the regional context. The intervention is safe, accessible, and low cost. It will commence at a low level of physical activity, with aerobic, strength and flexibility components commensurate to the fitness level of each individual. The educational materials will provide illustrations and tips on how to perform exercises safely. The physical activity component will use accelerometers to measure programmed and incidental physical activity. Participants will perform two 30 minute strength sessions per week, and at least one 30 minute moderate activity per day. The nutrition component consists of suggested meal plans, recipes, and tips on healthy eating, encouraging a higher consumption of fruit/vegetables and fibre while reducing intake of saturated fat and sugar. Program resources will include a booklet, exercise chart, resistance band, newsletters, and website access to log nutrition and physical activity behaviours. Telephone contact will be made with participants at weeks 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 of the intervention. Follow-up emails will be used in addition, and participants will also have the option to contact research assistants.
Sponsors
WA Centre for Health Promotion Research, Curtin University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
50 Years to 69 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Study participants will be required to be 50-69 years, insufficiently active (less than 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week), and satisfying the following International Diabetes Federation metabolic syndrome criteria: central obesity (waist circumference greater than 94 cm men or greater than 80 cm women [Europids, Sub-Saharan Africans, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East]; greater than 90cm men or greater than 80cm women [South Asians, Chinese, Japanese]); plus any two of: raised triglyceride level (greater than 1.7 mM, or treatment for this); reduced HDL-cholesterol (less than 1.03 mM in males and less than 1.29 mM in females, or treatment for this); raised blood pressure (systolic equal to 130 mmHg or diastolic equal to 85 mmHg, or treatment of previously diagnosed hypertension); raised fasting plasma glucose (equal to 5.6 mM). To be at risk of metabolic syndrome, only one instead of two of the above parameters must be satisfied in addition to central obesity.
Exclusion criteria
The following exclusion criteria will apply: previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (other than gestational diabetes); receiving treatment to lower blood glucose; on a weight loss diet or having weight fluctuations of greater than 5% within the past 6 months; involvement in another physical activity program; or a partner/individual residing in the same household as another participant already recruited for the study (to avoid contamination).
Outcome results
None listed