Title
Optimizing the Intensity of Lifestyle Medicine Interventions: Similar Outcomes for Half the Sessions
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-2017
Journal
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Volume Number
11
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
274-279
ISSN
1559-8284
ANZSRC / FoR Code
111104 Public Nutrition Intervention| 111716 Preventive Medicine| 119999 Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified
Avondale Research Centre
Lifestyle Research Centre
Reportable Items
C1
Abstract
Lifestyle medicine interventions are typically intensive by design. This study explored the optimal “dosage” of a well-known lifestyle medicine intervention—the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP). A total of 2383 individuals (mean age = 61.0 ± 9.2 years; 34% males) participated in either an 8-session (N = 448) or 16-session (N = 1935) version of the CHIP intervention conducted over 4 weeks in community settings throughout North America. Both the 8- and 16-session groups experienced significant improvements in all the chronic disease risk factors measured. There was no difference between the changes experienced by the 8- and 16-session groups in lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose, or systolic blood pressure. The 8-session group experienced a significantly greater reduction in body mass (0.3 percentage points or 0.8 lbs, P < .01), but the 16-session group recorded a significantly greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure (2.8 percentage points or 2.2 mm Hg, P < .01). There was no clear difference between the outcomes achieved in 4 weeks by the 8- and 16-session versions of the CHIP lifestyle medicine intervention. This study suggests that the short-term outcomes achieved by a 16-session CHIP intervention can be achieved in half the number of sessions, which has implications from a resourcing and cost-effectiveness perspective.
Peer Review
Before publication
Recommended Citation
Morton, D., Kent, L., Rankin, P., Mitchell, B.G., Parker, K., Gobble, J., & Diehl, H. (2015). Optimizing the intensity of lifestyle medicine interventions: Similar outcomes for half the sessions. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(3), 274-279. doi:10.1177/1559827615612420
Comments
Used by permission: SAGE and the authors.
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