RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Lifestyle modification interventions help prevent or postpone Type 2 Diabetes and its complications with diet modification and increasing physical activity. This is translational research of Tawazon-DPP in which we evaluate the efficacy of the intensive lifestyle modification program. METHODS: Tawazon was piloted in 2 phases over 6 and 9 months at a Tertiary Hospital. Phase I was conducted in 2017 in one district facility with 47 participants while Phase II was conducted in 2018 in 4 district facilities with 247 participants. Data are collected retrospectively in a before-and-after study design. The program included adults with 25 kg/m2 BMI and HbA1c ranging between 5.7 and 6.4 mmol/L, while excluding participants with comorbidities, such as cardiovascular conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, and pregnancy. RESULTS: We used descriptive analysis as well as Wilcoxon rank sign test and McNemar-Bowker for before and after data comparisons. Phase I exhibited a mean age of 43±7 years and statistically significant improvement in HbA1c (0.3 mmol/L), weight (3.3 kg), BMI (1 kg/m2), triglyceride (30.4 mg/dL) and LDL (14.67 mg/dL). Phase II exhibited a mean age of 45±9 years with 70% above 40 years old. Significant improvement was also found in HbA1c (0.2 mmol/L), weight (5.1 kg), and BMI (1.8 kg/m2); the lipid profile in the second phase showed better results with significant improvement in total cholesterol (7.4 mg/dL), triglyceride (20.9 mg/dL), LDL (8.8 mg/dL), and (0.9 mg/dL) increase in HDL. CONCLUSION: This pilot has taken lifestyle interventions to real-life and it led to the favored and desired outcome. It showed that long-term guided support can help patients make the needed changes in their diet, habits, and physical activity, thus, prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Low-cost, automated interventions that increase knowledge and skills around diet and lifestyle modifications are recommended for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. METHODS: We initiated a quality improvement program to assess the impact of a web-based diet and lifestyle intervention utilizing short animated videos in adults with high blood pressure (BP) at a primary care clinic in Saudi Arabia. We enrolled adults with elevated BP, not on BP medications, who were identified using the electronic medical record. We delivered a web-linked diet and lifestyle intervention using animated videos covering diet and lifestyle topics. Videos and reminders were sent weekly for 5 weeks. Outcomes were proportion who engaged in the program, returned for a repeat BP within 3 months, and change in BP. RESULTS: We enrolled 269 adult participants, with a mean (SD) age of 41.6 (12.4) years; 77% were male. At the conclusion of the pilot, we demonstrated a high level of engagement: overall, 69% of materials were viewed and 67% of patients returned for BP. Patients who returned had a mean (SD) baseline systolic BP of 138.0 (7.2) mm Hg and a large mean reduction in systolic BP from baseline, -10.5 mm Hg (12.4; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the feasibility of a video-assisted, web-based, diet and lifestyle intervention as a support tool for hypertension management demonstrated a high participation rate and a high return rate for reassessment of BP. These findings suggest that this low-cost, automated intervention may have a great potential as a scalable tool for blood pressure management. However, randomized trials to understanding the effectiveness of the support tools are needed.