title: Efficacy of a virtual assistance-based lifestyle intervention in reducing risk factors for Type 2 diabetes in young employees in the information technology industry in India: LIMIT, a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: To investigate a virtual assistance-based lifestyle intervention to reduce risk factors for Type 2 diabetes in young employees in the information technology industry in India.
  
  
  
  LIMIT (Lifestyle Modification in Information Technology) was a parallel-group, partially blinded, randomized controlled trial. Employees in the information technology industry with ≥3 risk factors (family history of cardiometabolic disease, overweight/obesity, high blood pressure, impaired fasting glucose, hypertriglyceridaemia, high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol) from two industries were randomized to a control or an intervention (1:1) group. After initial lifestyle advice, the intervention group additionally received reinforcement through mobile phone messages (three per week) and e-mails (two per week) for 1 year. The primary outcome was change in prevalence of overweight/obesity, analysed by intention to treat.
  
  
  
  Of 437 employees screened (mean age 36.2 ± 9.3 years; 74.8% men), 265 (61.0%) were eligible and randomized into control (n=132) or intervention (n=133) group. After 1 year, the prevalence of overweight/obesity reduced by 6.0% in the intervention group and increased by 6.8% in the control group (risk difference 11.2%; 95% CI 1.2-21.1; P=0.042). There were also significant improvements in lifestyle measurements, waist circumference, and total and LDL cholesterol in the intervention group. The number-needed-to-treat to prevent one case of overweight/obesity in 1 year was 9 (95% CI 5-82), with an incremental cost of INR10665 (£112.30) per case treated/prevented. A total of 98% of participants found the intervention acceptable.
  
  
  
  A virtual assistance-based lifestyle intervention was effective, cost-effective and acceptable in reducing risk factors for diabetes in young employees in the information technology industry, and is potentially scalable.
authors: Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Limaye
authors: Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.|MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kumaran
authors: Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Joglekar
authors: Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Bhat
authors: Just for Hearts Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Kulkarni
authors: Medical Research Consultant, Mumbai, India.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Nanivadekar
authors: Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Yajnik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D000073256:Information Technology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016272:Occupational Health; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D060145:Text Messaging; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL