An RCT of Nurse Coaching vs. Herbal CAM for Soldier Weight Reduction
Abstract
Purpose: To test a nurse coaching intervention and an herbal supplement for Service Member (SM) weight reduction over a 12-week period to evaluate their effectiveness independently and synergistically. Design: Prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Methods: Overweight SM, 18-57 years old, recruited from the Army overweight program, were randomized to one of 4 groups. Self-referrals not yet flagged for being overweight attended 12 weeks of dietitian-led lifestyle education. Primary outcome was weight loss, and secondary outcomes were % body fat, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid and vitamin D levels, bone mineral density (BMD), adherence, and motivation. Outcome measures were obtained at 3 time points. A nurse coach contacted participants weekly. Adherence was measured by classes attended and returns for data collection/blood draws. Sample: Demographics (N=435): mean age 30 8.2 yrs, 73.4% male, predominantly white (70.1%) and non-Hispanic (80%), 71% married, 91% enlisted, and 61% reported history of being overweight. Analysis: Change scores were compared across groups using general linear models adjusted for covariates imbalanced at baseline. Findings: 1) When comparing the 3 nurse health coaching (NHC) groups to the control group (CG) only, beneficial intervention effects were observed for heel BMD (d = 0.3), vitamin D levels (d = 0.43), and FBS (d = -0.4); 2) Supplement group showed no difference on any outcome; 3) There were no significant differences in any outcome between the CG and the self-referred group. Attrition rate was highest from Week 6 to 12 at 40%. Implications for Military Nursing: The primary outcome of weight loss proved difficult for all groups; similar motivation and adherence scores were recorded, excluding the CG. The education provided to participants about good health behaviors may diminish chronic disease risk and the related socioeconomic burden.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 08, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1000714
Entities
People
- Mccarthy S. Mary
Organizations
- Geneva Foundation