Abstract
BackgroundA large proportion of adults fail to meet public health guidelines for physical activity as well as fruit, vegetable and fat intake. Interventions are needed to improve these health behaviors. Both computer tailoring and motivational interviewing have shown themselves to be promising techniques for health behavior change. The Vitalum project aims to compare the efficacy of these techniques in improving the health behaviors of adults aged 45–70. This paper describes the design of the Vitalum study.Methods/DesignDutch general medical practices (N = 23) were recruited via a registration network or by personal invitation. The participants were then enrolled through these general practices using an invitational letter. They (n = 2,881) received a written baseline questionnaire to assess health behaviors, and potential psychosocial and socio-demographic behavioral determinants. A power analysis indicated that 1,600 participants who were failing to meet the guidelines for physical activity and either fruit or vegetable consumption were needed. Eligible participants were stratified based on hypertension status and randomized into one of four intervention groups: tailored print communication, telephone motivational interviewing, combined, and control. The first two groups either received four letters or took part in four interviews, whereas the combined group received two letters and took part in two interviews in turns at 5, 13, 30 and 43 weeks after returning the baseline questionnaire. Each letter and interview focused on physical activity or nutrition behavior. The participants also took part in a telephone survey 25 weeks after baseline to gather new information for tailoring. There were two follow-up questionnaires, at 47 and 73 weeks after baseline, to measure short- and long-term effects. The control group received a tailored letter after the last posttest. The process, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the interventions will be examined by means of multilevel mixed regression, cost-effectiveness analyses and process evaluation.DiscussionThe Vitalum study simultaneously evaluates the efficacy of tailored print communication and telephone motivational interviewing, and their combined use for multiple behaviors and people with different motivational stages and education levels. The results can be used by policymakers to contribute to evidence-based prevention of chronic diseases.Trial RegistrationDutch Trial Register NTR1068
Highlights
A large proportion of adults fail to meet public health guidelines for physical activity as well as fruit, vegetable and fat intake
The Vitalum study simultaneously evaluates the efficacy of tailored print communication and telephone motivational interviewing, and their combined use for multiple behaviors and people with different motivational stages and education levels
This paper described the design of the Vitalum study
Summary
This paper described the design of the Vitalum study. Vitalum aims to evaluate the efficacy of TMI and TPC in changing PA and fruit, vegetable and fat intake among Dutch adults aged 45 to 70. This was confirmed by the fact http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/8/216 that people who completed the baseline questionnaire were more likely to suffer from hypertension than people who were excluded or refused to participate This bias may have been increased by including participants who failed to meet at least two guidelines, since high blood pressure is associated with lack of physical activity and low fruit and vegetable consumption [8]. The usefulness and validity of stage models in nutrition and PA research has been criticized [105,121,122], their use in tailoring is still regarded promising [123] Despite these difficulties, Vitalum aims to generate data on the efficacy of TPC and TMI in changing health behaviors. This means you will be less likely experience bone fractures and will stay lithe
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