Complex lifestyle intervention among inactive older adults with elevated cardiovascular disease risk and obesity: a mixed-method, single-arm feasibility study for RESTART—a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Pilot and Feasibility Studies
• Main Authors: Trygve S. Deraas, Laila Hopstock, Andre Henriksen, Bente Morseth, Anne Sofie Sand, Inger Njølstad, Sigurd Pedersen, Edvard Sagelv, Jonas Johansson, Sameline Grimsgaard
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2021
• Subjects: Feasibility study; Older adults; Lifestyle intervention; Primary prevention; Cardiovascular disease risk; Obesity; Medicine (General); R5-920; Norway; Tromsø
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-021-00921-0; https://doaj.org/article/4481758e7e674203a39bce2ea6b3a9e7

Abstract Background Physical inactivity and obesity are global public health challenges. Older adults are important to target for prevention and management of disease and chronic conditions. However, many individuals struggle with maintaining increased physical activity (PA) and improved diet. This feasibility study provides the foundation for the RESTART trial, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test a complex intervention to facilitate favourable lifestyle changes older adults can sustain. The primary objective of this study was to investigate study feasibility (recruitment, adherence, side-effects, and logistics) using an interdisciplinary approach. Methods This 1-year prospective mixed-method single-arm feasibility study was conducted in Tromsø, Norway, from September 2017. We invited by mail randomly selected participants from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (2015–2016) aged 55–75 years with sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and elevated cardiovascular risk. Participants attended a 6-month complex lifestyle intervention program, comprising instructor-led high-intensive exercise and nutritionist- and psychologist-led counselling, followed by a 6-month follow-up. All participants used a Polar activity tracker for daily activity monitoring during the intervention. Participants were interviewed three times throughout the study. Primary outcome was study feasibility measures. Results We invited potential participants (n=75) by mail of which 27 % (n=20) agreed to participate. Telephone screening excluded four participants, and altogether 16 participants completed baseline screening. The intervention and test procedures of primary and secondary outcomes were feasible and acceptable for the participants. There were no exercise-induced injuries, indicating that the intervention program is safe. Participants experienced that the dietary and psychological counselling were delivered too early in the intervention and in too close proximity to the start of the exercise program. Minor logistic improvements were ...