Lifestyle Medicine Health Education and E-health Intervention Program

Abstract

Research Question: Will the implementation of an interactive e-health text system sending education briefs on the six tenets of lifestyle medicine to participants of the pediatric mobile clinic result in improved motivation and confidence to achieve lifestyle behavior modifications that may lower weight?

Background and Significance: There has been little progress in halting the growing obesity epidemic in over two decades since its declaration. In Tarrant County, approximately 2/3 of adults are either overweight or obese with pediatric numbers raising as well. Parental obesity, race, and socioeconomic status are among the many risk factors for development of childhood obesity. One way to lessen the incidence and prevalence of obesity which has not been thoroughly investigated is how to target unhealthy caregiver behaviors to treat obesity in caregivers while indirectly lowering the risk of their children developing obesity through the use of lifestyle medicine principles.

Materials and Methods: Nineteen adult caregivers who have overweight or obese children that receive healthcare at the University of North Texas Health Science Center Pediatric Mobile Clinic were enrolled. The participants were randomized to either the intervention group receiving two or more education briefs weekly or the control group of receiving reminders of available health resources on the patient portal. All participants were asked to set a weekly goal regarding a healthy lifestyle behavior change and rate their confidence and motivation to achieve their set goal on a scale of 0-10. After 24 weeks, the mean difference in the control and intervention groups confidence and motivation scores were calculated.

Results: Results of the study were severely limited by low sample size. No statistically significant results using longitudinal analysis and difference of means were calculated between the intervention and control groups using Mann Whitley testing. Qualitative analysis yielded positive responses on a per individual basis in goal setting behaviors.

Conclusion: No significance results were appreciated in the study. The innovative Mosio interactive platform may serve as an ideal tool for future interventions using lifestyle medicine behaviors to keep patients engaged while working towards reaching healthier behaviors.