'Get Healthy, Stay Healthy': protocol for evaluation of a lifestyle intervention delivered by text-message following the Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®.
BACKGROUND
Behavioural lifestyle interventions can be effective at promoting initial weight loss and supporting physical activity and dietary behaviour change, however maintaining improvements in these outcomes is often more difficult to achieve. Extending intervention contact to reinforce learnt behavioural skills has been shown to improve maintenance of behaviour change and weight loss. This trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a text message-delivered extended contact intervention to enhance or maintain change in physical activity, dietary behaviour and weight loss among participants who have completed a six month Government-funded, population-based telephone coaching lifestyle program: the Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service (GHS).


METHODS
GHS completers will be randomised to the 6-month extended contact intervention (Get Healthy, Stay Healthy, GHSH) or a no contact control group (standard practice following GHS completion). GHSH participants determine the timing and frequency of the text messages (3-13 per fortnight) and content is tailored to their behavioural and weight goals and support preferences. Two telephone tailoring calls are made (baseline, 12-weeks) to facilitate message tailoring. Primary outcomes, anthropometric (body weight and waist circumference via self-report) and behavioural (moderate-vigorous physical activity via self-report and accelerometer, fruit and vegetable intake via self-report), will be assessed at baseline (at GHS completion), 6-months (end of extended contact intervention) and 12-months (6-months post intervention contact). Secondary aims include evaluation of: the feasibility of program delivery; the acceptability for participants; theoretically-guided, potential mediators and moderators of behaviour change; dose-responsiveness; and, costs of program delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this trial will inform the delivery of the GHS in relation to the maintenance of behaviour change and weight loss, and will contribute to the broader science of text message lifestyle interventions delivered in population health settings.


BACKGROUND
ACTRN12613000949785.
School of Population Health, Cancer Prevention Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. b.fjeldsoe@sph.uq.edu.au.
Brianna
B
Fjeldsoe
Philayrath
P
Phongsavan
Adrian
A
Bauman
Ana
A
Goode
Genevieve
G
Maher
Elizabeth
E
Eakin
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D057566:Self Report; D060145:Text Messaging; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss