A hospital-based lifestyle front office to provide patients with guidance on lifestyle medicine-related issues

ISRCTN ISRCTN13046877
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13046877
Submission date
12/04/2022
Registration date
21/04/2022
Last edited
19/11/2024
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Ongoing
Condition category
Other
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims:
A healthy lifestyle is important for the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. However, lifestyle medicine is inhibited by time constraints and the competing priorities of treating physicians. A dedicated lifestyle front office (LFO) may provide a solution to optimizing patient-centered lifestyle care. The main aim of this study is to determine the (cost) effectiveness of a hospital-based dedicated LFO in comparison with usual care 12 months after participation.

Who can participate?
Patients aged 18 years and over with an increased risk for (i.e. diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol) or who suffer from (cardio)vascular disease or osteoarthritis with or without arthroplasty, who have either a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m² or over and/or smoke

What does the study involve?
Participants allocated to the lifestyle intervention have a face-to-face coaching session with a dedicated LifeStyle Broker (LSBs) who is trained in motivational interviewing. The LSB will build in dialogue with the patient's motivation for lifestyle change and refer patients to local community-based lifestyle change initiatives (neighborhood lifestyle coaches etc), while always maintaining a feedback loop with the treating healthcare professional. A network communication platform will be used to further communication between the lifestyle broker, the patient, the referred community-based lifestyle initiative and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. general practitioner). An LSB is specialized to target the following lifestyle behaviors: physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, alcohol, smoking, stress and sleep. Patients in the control group will receive care as usual from their healthcare professional. Data is collected at the start of the study and at 3, 9, and 12 months follow-up for a composite health risk and lifestyle score consisting of resting blood pressure, objectively measured physical activity and sitting time, body mass index, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking behavior.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Although the researchers can't promise that taking part in the study will directly benefit the patients, it is hoped that LOFIT will help patients to lead healthier lifestyles. It is very unlikely that patients will come to any harm from taking part in this study.

Where is the study run from?
Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc (Netherlands)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2020 to July 2025

Who is funding the study?
Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) (Netherlands)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Judith Jelsma
j.jelsma@amsterdamumc.nl

Study website

Contact information

Dr Judith Jelsma
Public

Van der Boechorststraat 7
Amsterdam
1081BT
Netherlands

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-7943-9160
Phone +31 (0)610146084
Email j.jelsma@amsterdamumc.nl
Dr Judith Jelsma
Scientific

Van der Boechorststraat 7
Amsterdam
1081BT
Netherlands

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-7943-9160
Phone +31 (0)610146084
Email j.jelsma@amsterdamumc.nl
Prof Willem van Mechelen
Principal Investigator

Van der Boechorststraat 7
1081BT Amsterdam
Amsterdam
1081BT
Netherlands

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-7136-6382
Phone +31 (0)655147374
Email w.vanmechelen@amsterdamumc.nl

Study information

Study designMulticenter pragmatic randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typePrevention
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific titleLOFIT: Lifestyle front Office for Integrating lifestyle medicine in the Treatment of patients. A novel care-model towards community-based options for lifestyle change
Study acronymLOFIT
Study hypothesisThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a lifestyle front office in routine hospital care. It is hypothesized that this lifestyle front office care pathway will increase the uptake of a healthy lifestyle, consequently reduce disease symptoms, medical complications, the amount of prescribed medication, prevent the development of (other) non-communicable diseases, and thus lower healthcare and societal costs.
Ethics approval(s)Approved 07/03/2022, Ethics Committee VUmc Amsterdam (Medisch Ethische Toetsingscommissie VUmc De Boelelaan 1109, room number 08A-08, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; +34 20 444 5585; metc@vumc.nl), ref: 2021.0712
Condition(Cardio)vascular disease, osteoarthritis with or without total hip or knee arthroplasty
InterventionRandomization:
Randomization occurs separately for both trials and patients will be randomly allocated to receive the LOFIT intervention or usual care in a 1:1 ratio. A computerized random number generator (Sealed Envelop) draws up an allocation schedule pre-stratified for hospital centers using randomized permuted blocks of size 4 and 6. Sealed opaque envelopes will be prepared that contain the group to which a patient is allocated.

Intervention:
To overcome barriers such as lack of time, skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals to discuss lifestyle during consultation, a lifestyle front office (LFO) in secondary/tertiary care is hypothesized to enhance integration of lifestyle medicine for patients with non communicable diseases. In this dedicated LFO trained lifestyle brokers build motivation for lifestyle change in dialogue with the patient and refer patients to local community-based lifestyle change initiatives. After referral to a community-based lifestyle initiative the lifestyle broker will monitor progress and will maintain contact through an online network communication platform as long as the patient is under treatment in the hospital. This platform enables communication between the patient, community-based lifestyle initiatives and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. general practitioner, informal caregiver). Frequency of contact between the involved parties is tailored to patients preferences and scheduled hospital appointments.
The duration of the community-based lifestyle intervention depends on where the patient is referred to, for example a combined lifestyle intervention program usually lasts 2 years and a quit smoking trajectory usually 6 months.

Control:
Control group patients will receive care as usual from their healthcare professional(s).
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measureThe adapted-Fuster-BEWAT score is a composite health risk and lifestyle score which consists of six components measured at baseline and 12 months:
1. Resting blood pressure (mmHg) measured with blood pressure monitor
2. Objectively measured physical activity (steps/24h) using activPAL
3. Objectively measured sitting time (time/24 h) using activPAL
4. Body mass index (BMI) based on weight and height measure
5. Fruit and vegetable consumption (servings 24/h) measured with questionnaire
6. Smoking (units/24 h) measured with questionnaire
Secondary outcome measures1. Cardiometabolic markers: fasting plasma glucose, lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)), insulin, Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), liver function (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)), kidney function (creatinine). measured at baseline and 12 months
2. Anthropometric measurements (body height (stadiometer), body weight (scale), waist circumference (tape measure), neck circumference (tape measure), resting blood pressure [systolic, diastolic]) (OMRON M6 bloodpressure monitor) at baseline and 12 months
3. Behaviour measured at baseline and 12 months:
3.1. Sitting time, upright time, step count measured using activPAL
3.2. Dietary quality measured with 18 items from the Dutch Food Frequency questionnaire
3.3 alcohol intake measured using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire
3.4. Sedentary behaviour measured using Marshall questionnaire
3.5. Physical activity measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form (IPAQ-SF) questionnaire
3.6. Fitness measured using FitMax questionnaire
3.7. Sleep insomnia measured using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire
3.8. Sleep quality measured using Brief Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (B-PSQI) questionnaire
3.9. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) measured with the STOP BANG Sleep Apnea questionnaire
3.10. Smoking status measured using Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) questionnaire
4. Psychological outcomes measured at baseline and 12 months:
4.1. Wellbeing measured using Cantril ladder questionnaire
4.2. Health-related quality of life measured using EQ-5D-5L questionnaire
4.3. Resilience is measured using Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) questionnaire
4.4. General self-efficacy is measured using the General self-efficacy scale (GSES) questionnaire
4.5. Stage of Change is measured in a questionnaire based on transtheoretical model.
5. Disease-specific patient-reported outcome measures: functional limitations measured using
HOOS-PS; KOOS-PS questionnaires at baseline and 12 months
6. Cost-effectiveness: productivity and healthcare use (measured using the iMTA productivity Cost and Medical Consumption questionnaires (iPCQ and iMCQ)); consequences for employment; medication use; travel costs to hospital, measured at baseline, 3,
6, 9 and 12 months
7. Process evaluation: implementation, context and mechanism of impact following UK MRC Guidance on process evaluation of complex interventions measured with a questionnaire and qualitative interviews at baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Overall study start date01/11/2020
Overall study end date01/07/2025

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants552
Total final enrolment325
Participant inclusion criteria1. Patients with an increased risk for cardiovascular disorders (i.e. cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus I and II) or with musculoskeletal disorders (i.e. osteoarthritis, total knee or hip arthroplasty)
2. Visiting the participating outpatient clinics of Amsterdam UMC, UMC Groningen (UMCG) or Ommelander Ziekenhuis Groningen (OZG)
3. Aged ≥18 years
4. Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥25 kg/m² and /or patients who smoke
Participant exclusion criteria1. Not able to walk at least 100 meters safely (e.g. wheelchair bound)
2. Pregnant
3. Cognitively unable to comply with a healthy lifestyle intervention referral or to complete study measurements
4. Not able to communicate in the Dutch or English language
Recruitment start date25/04/2022
Recruitment end date25/04/2024

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Netherlands

Study participating centres

Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc
Boelelaan 1118
1081 HZ Amsterdam
Amsterdam
1081HZ
Netherlands
Amsterdam UMC, location AMC
Meibergdreef 9
1105 AZ Amsterdam
Amsterdam
1105 AZ
Netherlands
UMC Groningen
Hanzeplein 1
9713 GZ Groningen
Groningen
9713 GZ
Netherlands
Ommelander ziekenhuis Groningen
Pastorieweg 1
9679 BJ Scheemda
Scheemda
9679 BJ
Netherlands

Sponsor information

Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc
Hospital/treatment centre

Boelelaan 1118
Amsterdam
1081 HV
Netherlands

Phone +31 20 44 425 12
Email rvb.afspraken@amsterdamumc.nl
Website https://www.vumc.nl/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/00q6h8f30

Funders

Funder type

Not defined

ZonMw
Private sector organisation / Other non-profit organizations
Alternative name(s)
Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Location
Netherlands

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/08/2025
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal
IPD sharing planAvailable on request
The investigator/body who should be contacted for access to the datasets: d. judith jelsma – j.jelsma@amsterdamumc.Nl
Type of data: quantitative data
Availability date of the data: approximately in year 2025
Length of availability: 12 years after completion of this research project
Access criteria: only for lifestyle medicine related research questions
Type of analyses: quantitative analysis
Mechanisms: to be decided
Consent from participants: yes, participant can optionally make their data available for use in future research
Data anonymization: data is pseudonymized
Ethical or legal restrictions: none
Any other comments: none

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article 17/02/2023 22/02/2023 Yes No

Editorial Notes

19/11/2024: Total final enrolment added.
11/11/2024: The following changes were made to the study record:
1. The recruitment end date was changed from 01/11/2023 to 25/04/2024.
2. The overall study end date was changed from 01/11/2024 to 01/07/2025.
3. The intention to publish date was changed from 01/11/2024 to 01/08/2025.
11/04/2023: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The recruitment end date was changed from 25/04/2022 to 01/11/2023.
2. The overall trial end date was changed from 01/04/2024 to 01/11/2024.
22/02/2023: Publication reference added.
21/04/2022: The recruitment start date was changed from 20/04/2022 to 25/04/2022.
19/04/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by ZonMw