Abstract
BackgroundChronic diseases are high in truck drivers and have been linked to work routines that promote inactivity and poor diets. This feasibility study examined the extent to which an m-Health financial incentives program facilitated physical activity and healthy dietary choices in Australian truck drivers.MethodsNineteen men (mean [SD] age = 47.5 [9.8] years; BMI = 31.2 [4.6] kg/m2) completed the 20-week program, and used an activity tracker and smartphone application (Jawbone UP™) to regulate small positive changes in occupational physical activity, and fruit, vegetable, saturated fat and processed/refined sugar food/beverage choices. Measures (baseline, end-program, 2-months follow-up; April–December 2014) were accelerometer-determined proportions of work time spent physically active, and a workday dietary questionnaire. Statistical (repeated measures ANOVA) and thematic (interviews) analyses assessed program impact.ResultsNon-significant increases in the mean proportions of work time spent physically active were found at end-program and follow-up (+1%; 7 mins/day). Fruit (p = 0.023) and vegetable (p = 0.024) consumption significantly increased by one serve/day at end-program. Non-significant improvements in saturated fat (5%) and processed/refined sugar (1%) food/beverage choices were found at end-program and follow-up. Overall, 65% (n = 11) of drivers demonstrated positive changes in physical activity, and at least one dietary choice (e.g. saturated fat) at follow-up. Drivers found the financial incentives component of the program to be a less effective facilitator of change than the activity tracker and smartphone application, although this technology was easier to use for monitoring of physical activity than healthy dietary choices.ConclusionsNot all drivers benefitted from the program. However, positive changes for different health behaviours were observed in the majority of participants. Outcomes from this feasibility study inform future intervention development for studies with larger samples.Trial registrationANZCTR12616001513404. Registered November 2nd, 2016 (retrospectively registered).
Highlights
Chronic diseases are high in truck drivers and have been linked to work routines that promote inactivity and poor diets
Six months post-baseline, and relative to a control (n = 223), drivers in the intervention group (n = 229), demonstrated significant, but small increases in self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption, and days of the week spent doing 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (0.7 days/week). Recognising this very limited evidence base and the urgent need to test scalable, practical and cost-effective intervention approaches for future industry adoption and translation, we developed a mobile-health (m-Health) financial incentives program to help truck drivers selfmonitor and regulate work time physical activity and workday healthy dietary choices
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a small changes, m-Health financial incentives program on the work time physical activity and workday healthy dietary choices of Australian truck drivers
Summary
Chronic diseases are high in truck drivers and have been linked to work routines that promote inactivity and poor diets. This feasibility study examined the extent to which an m-Health financial incentives program facilitated physical activity and healthy dietary choices in Australian truck drivers. Set against the context of significant financial and employment contributions, and established links between poor health, fatigue, and road accidents, [2] it is cause for concern that truck drivers are an older, male dominated occupational group, characterised by a high incidence of chronic disease risk factors and conditions [3, 4]. The prevalence of systolic and diastolic hypertension was 63% and 49% respectively, and close to half (45%) were on prescribed medication or had a chronic medical condition [9]
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