The effect of an online healthy lifestyle behavioural modification intervention on cardiometabolic outcomes and affective symptoms in youth seeking treatment for mental health related issues.

This research study investigates an online healthy lifestyle behavioural modification intervention and the associated changes in cardiometabolic risk parameters and mental health symptoms in young people seeking treatment for mental health related issues. All participants will engage in an online 12-week self-paced healthy lifestyle behavioural modification intervention program delivered by a mental health professional. This will involve structured nutrition, physical activity, sleep-wake and healthy lifestyle advice delivered fortnightly over 6 x 1 hour online workshops (week 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11). During this time, participants will be asked to wear an actigraphy watch to detect body movement on the non-dominant wrist intermittently throughout the study. Two-week actigraphy recordings will be collected during weeks 1-2, 6-7 and 10-12 via an actigraphy device. Blood tests and anthropometric assessments (blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference) will be conducted by the patients GP in week 1 and 12. Participants will also complete a set of self-report questionnaires in week 1 and 12. Clinician administered assessments will be conducted by mental health professionals (clinical psychologists, psychatrists, registered psychologists or clinical research staff) in weeks 1 and 12. The online psychoeducation sessions will cover the following learning outcomes. • Session 1 (Week 1)- Brain and Body Connection o How the brain and body are related to each other o Establishing a healthy mindset • Session 2 (Week 3)- Body Clock and Sleep-Wake Cycle Regulation o Importance of the Brain and Body Clock and Sleep-Wake Cycle Regulation o How the brain and body clock coordinates all the biological systems o Healthy sleep-wake behaviours o How lifestyle factors and behaviours influence the brain and body clock e.g. exercise, light exposure, sleep environment, sleep regularisation, naps, foods, stress, anxiety, mood. • Session 3 (Week 5)-Physical activity for mental health (part 1) o Benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health? o Outline of Australian Physical Activity Guidelines? o Barriers to engaging in physical activity o Increasing incidental activity, reducing sitting time • Session 4 (Week 7)- Physical activity for mental health (part 2) o Working out anywhere o Finding the motivation o Concept of energy in vs energy out • Session 5 (Week 9)- Nutrition for mental health (part 1) o Energy in vs energy out and introducing the concept of a calorie o Outline of Australian Dietary Guidelines o Standard serving sizes/portion sizes • Session 6 (Week 11)- Nutrition for mental health (part 2) o Timing of meals o Snacking o Meal preparation o Making healthy choices when eating out at restaurants o Managing comfort eating. These will be delivered entirely online via a series of educational videos. There will be weekly emails given to the participants with the links to the educational material where we will be able to determine their attendance.