title: An internet-based self-administered intervention for promoting healthy habits and weight loss in hypertensive people who are overweight or obese: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise worldwide with severe physical and psychosocial consequences. One of the most dangerous is hypertension. Lifestyle changes related to eating behaviour and physical activity are the critical components in the prevention and treatment of hypertension and obesity. Data indicates that the usual procedures to promote these healthy habits in health services are either insufficient or not efficient enough. Internet has been shown to be an effective tool for the implementation of lifestyle interventions based on this type of problem. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a totally self-administered online intervention programme versus the usual medical care for obese and overweight participants with hypertension (from the Spanish public health care system) to promote healthy lifestyles (eating behaviour and physical activity).
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 100 patients recruited from the hypertension unit of a public hospital. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a) SII: a self-administered Internet-based intervention protocol; and b) MUC-medical usual care. The online intervention is an Internet-delivered, multimedia, interactive, self-administered programme, composed of nine modules designed to promote healthy eating habits and increase physical activity. The first five modules will be activated at a rate of one per week, and access for modules 5 to 9 will open every two weeks. Patients will be assessed at four points: before the intervention, after the intervention (3 months), and at 6 and 12 months (follow-up). The outcome variables will include blood pressure, and Body Mass Index, as primary outcome measures, and quality of life and other lifestyle and anthropometrical variables as secondary outcome measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The literature highlights the need for more studies on the benefits of using the Internet to promote lifestyle interventions. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of a totally self-administered Internet - +based programme for promoting healthy habits and improving the medical indicators of a hypertensive and overweight population.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT02445833.
authors.affiliation: Universitat de València, Facultad de Psicología, València, Spain. banos@uv.es.|CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Carlos III, Spain. banos@uv.es.
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Banos
authors.affiliation: Universitat de València, Facultad de Psicología, València, Spain. ninamensorio@gmail.com.|CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil. ninamensorio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marinna S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mensorio
authors.affiliation: CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Carlos III, Spain. acebolla@uji.es.|Universitat Jaume I, Facultad de Psicología, Castelló de la Plana, Castelló, Spain. acebolla@uji.es.
authors.forename: Ausias
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cebolla
authors.affiliation: Hypertension and Vascular Risk Unit, Hospital de Sagunto, Sagunto, Spain. rodilla_enr@gva.es.|Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Departamento de Medicina, Valencia, Spain. rodilla_enr@gva.es.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodilla
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Health Center, Quartell, Spain. palomar.gonzalo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palomar
authors.affiliation: Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Departamento de Medicina, Valencia, Spain. JUANFRAN@uch.ceu.es.
authors.forename: JuanFrancisco
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lisón
authors.affiliation: CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Carlos III, Spain. botella@uji.es.|Universitat Jaume I, Facultad de Psicología, Castelló de la Plana, Castelló, Spain. botella@uji.es.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006184:Habits; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D020407:Internet; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult