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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017 Jul 11;14(1):92.
doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0543-6.

Effects of a physical activity and nutrition program in retirement villages: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Jonine Jancey  1 , Anne-Marie Holt  2 , Andy Lee  2 , Deborah Kerr  2 , Suzanne Robinson  3 , Li Tang  3   4 , A S Anderson  5 , Andrew P Hills  6 , Peter Howat  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of a physical activity and nutrition program in retirement villages: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Jonine Jancey et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: This cluster randomised controlled trial aimed to determine if a 6- month home-based intervention could improve the physical activity and dietary behaviours of adults aged 60 to 80 years living in retirement villages located in Perth, Western Australia.

Methods: Participants (n = 363) from 38 retirement villages were recruited into the trial and allocated to the intervention (n = 197: 17 sites) or control (n = 166: 21 sites) group and were blinded. Previously validated instruments-Fat and Fibre Barometer and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, along with anthropometric measures (weight, height, waist and hip circumferences) and blood pressure were collected at baseline and 6 -month time period. Comparisons between intervention and control groups were undertaken pre- and post- intervention using univariate chi-square and t-tests. Multi-level mixed regression analyses were then conducted to ascertain the effects of the intervention on changes in the outcome variables over time and between groups.

Results: A total of 139 (70.5%) intervention and 141 (84.9%) control group participants completed the program and post-test assessments. The intervention group demonstrated significant increases in time (80 min more per week on average) devoted to moderate-intensity physical activity, engagement in strength exercises (from 23.7% to 48.2%), frequency of fruit consumed as well as fat avoidance and fibre intake scores, in addition to a 0.5 kg mean reduction in weight post program, whereas no apparent changes were observed in the control group. Mixed regression results further confirmed statistically significant improvements in weight loss (p < 0.05), engagement in strength exercises (p < 0.001) and fruit intake (p = 0.012) by the intervention participants at post-test relative to their controls.

Conclusions: Retirement offers a time to reassess lifestyle, and adopt positive health enhancing physical activity and dietary behaviours. This intervention was successful in improving weight, engagement in strength exercises, increasing levels of moderate-intensity physical activity and consumption of fruit among retirement village residents. Further investigation is needed on how to better engage retirement village managers in such programs.

Trial registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12612001168842) registered November 2, 2012.

Keywords: Fruit and vegetable intake; Physical activity; Retirement villages; Strength exercise; Walking; Weight management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

After potential participants were informed of the study and were screened for eligibility, they completed the informed consent process. They were fully informed of the study’s aim, objectives, procedures and requirements, which were also written in the informed consent form. Potential participants were required to sign in-person prior to entering the study. Ethics approval was provided by Curtin University’s.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSORT flow chart of recruitment process
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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