Lifestyle Interventions at Retirement

Summary

The LiveWell research programme aims to develop evidence-based, acceptable and scalable interventions to improve health and wellbeing in the retirement transition.

Life stage transitions involve changes in lifestyle and thus present key opportunities for behaviour change interventions. Our assessment of the literature shows that interventions with people of retirement age can effectively promote components of the Mediterranean diet (Lara et al, BMC Medicine Apr 8;12(1):60: 2014), physical activity (Hobbs et al, BMC Medicine Mar 19;11:75; 2013) and explicit social roles (Heaven et al, Milbank Q. Jun;91(2):222-87: 2013).

This study is a 2-month randomised controlled trial (RCT) with two intervention arms taking place in the North-East of England.

We have developed an internet-based lifestyle programme (Living, Eating, Activity and Planning through retirement (LEAP)) that promotes three key health and social behaviours; 1) healthy eating by adopting a Mediterranean diet, 2) increasing physical activity with the use of a step-counter, and 3) improving social connectedness.

Participants recruited for this study will be allocated in random order with a ratio of 2:1 to the intervention group (LEAP) or to a control group.

This study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the LEAP intervention among people of retirement age and will pilot trial procedures.

In this programme of research we have also defined a suite of outcome measures and identified tools appropriate for capturing the Healthy Ageing Phenotype (HAP) (Lara et al, Maturitas. 2013 Oct;76(2):189-99). We will assess aspects of Cognition, Physical capability, Physiological outcomes, and psycho-social wellbeing. The feasibility and acceptability of these measures has yet to be determined and therefore will be formally assessed in this pilot RCT alongside more proximal outcomes of the intervention modules (i.e. diet, physical activity and social roles).

The hypotheses to be tested in the LiveWell programme are as follows:

* A newly developed internet-based lifestyle programme (Living, Eating, Activity and Planning through retirement (LEAP)) is an acceptable tool for behaviour change among people of peri-retirement age.
* A suite of outcome measures and identified tools appropriate for capturing the Healthy Ageing Phenotype (HAP) is acceptable among people of peri-retirement age.

Conditions

• Health Behavior

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

LEAP intervention

LEAP has 5 modules of tools and resources. LEAP is personalised based on information provided at different stages. The user determines the modules to complete (skipping or revisiting modules). Users can choose among 8 animated mentors (4 female; 4 male) to guide them through the intervention. Users will provide demographic data, health-related information, and current lifestyles in order to tailor the advice to be received. Advice will focus on adopting elements of a Mediterranean dietary pattern, increase physical activity, and improve social connectedness. Participants will receive 1) Mediterranean diet recipes; 2) a step counter to monitor physical activity goals; 3) advice in how to enhance social engagement and facilitate social roles

BEHAVIORAL

Control

Thirty participants will be randomised to a minimal intervention comparator condition, where participants will be emailed a direct link to the National Health Service (NHS) choices 'LiveWell' website (http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Pages/Livewellhub.aspx). The email will encourage the participants to access the health resources and information on the pages labelled men's health 40-60, men's health 60-plus, women's health 40-60, women's health 60-plus, as appropriate. Participants in the control group will be assessment after two months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Newcastle University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• John C Mathers, PhD · Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University

• Martin White, PhD · Institute for Health and Society, Newcastle University

• Falko F Sniehotta, PhD · Institute for Health and Society, Newcastle University

• Lynn Rochester, PhD · Newcastle University

• Moynihan J Paula, PhD · Newcastle University

• Thomas D Meyer, PhD · Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

55 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-05-31

Primary Completion

2015-02-28

Completion

2015-02-28

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations