Effectiveness of a Group Lifestyle Balance Class in a Military Population

With this study researchers will evaluate the effects of the GLB intervention on weight loss, chronic disease indicators and self-perceived function and well-being in an active duty population. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the GLB program [compared with two currently available programs, the Fitness Improvement Program (FIP) and the Better Body Better Life (BBBL) program], on the following health indicators: improvement of individual physical fitness as measured by change in abdominal circumference, weight and physical activity; decrease in risk associated with chronic disease as measured by changes in lipid and HbA1c levels; and improvement in self-perceived function and well-being as measured by the RAND 36 Item Short Form Health Survey (RAND SF- 36). In addition, the researchers seek to obtain feedback about the programs from the participants.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Primary Prevention
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Group Lifestyle Balance; Behavioral: Better Body Better Life; Behavioral: Fitness Improvement Program

Detailed Description

Many active duty personnel struggle with weight gain and becoming overweight during the course of their active duty service. This can lead to difficulty in maintaining fitness standards and limit their ability to fully function in performing their mission. In addition, this may lead to increased risk for chronic disease development. Few published studies exist that evaluate interventions aimed at weight loss and chronic disease prevention in the active duty population. The Group Lifestyle Balance (GLB) program has been shown to be effective in facilitating weight loss and reducing chronic disease risk in civilian populations. However, the effectiveness of this class in preventing chronic illnesses, facilitating weight loss, increasing physical activity and promoting perceptions of improved functioning and well-being has not been studied in active duty populations. The purpose of this study will be to examine the effectiveness of the GLB program compared with the currently available Fitness Improvement Program (FIP) and Better Body Better Life (BBBL) on the following health indicators: individual physical fitness as measured by change in weight, abdominal circumference and minutes engaged in physical activity; changes in risk associated with chronic disease as measured by changes in lipid and HbA1c levels; and changes in self-perception of function and well-being as measured by the RAND SF-36 questionnaire.

This will be a quantitative randomized control intervention study to determine the effects of a GLB class on physical indicators of fitness, disease risk and overall perception of functional health and well-being in an active duty population, and to compare outcomes with the FIP intervention (care as usual) and newly implemented BBBL intervention currently offered to Airmen. This study will be conducted at David Grant Medical Center (DGMC), Travis AFB, California.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 122
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• • An active duty member of the USAF

  • Have at least one of the following conditions:

    • An abdominal circumference over 35 inches for men or 31.5 inches for women
    • BMI over 25 kg/m2
  • Are willing to commit to weekly 1 hour classes for 12 weeks and monthly 1 hour classes for an additional 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

  • Participants who are within 8 months of a Permanent Change of Station or deployment
  • Anyone who has been restricted from participating in moderate activity equivalent to a brisk walk
  • Taking lipid-lowering or glucose-lowering medication
  • Anyone who for medical reasons cannot have a calorie-restricted diet

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Group Lifestyle Balance; Participants receive the Group Lifestyle Balance intervention as per the standard curriculum	Behavioral: Group Lifestyle Balance; The content of the GLB program consists of educating participants about the association between high calorie and fat intake with excessive weight, how to determine the fat and calorie content of foods they eat, and how to make changes in their diet to reduce the fat and calorie content. Participants are also given information about increasing activity in their daily routines. In addition, they are given information about negative behaviors that lead to overeating and decreased activity and are taught ways to develop positive behaviors to facilitate weight loss and increased activity. GLB instructors function as lifestyle coaches for class participants. They provide individual feedback and encouragement on documented eating and activity habits. The instructors make themselves available to be contacted by participants outside of class to address participant concerns and issues as needed; Other Names: GLB
Active Comparator: Better Body Better Life; Participants receive the Better Body Better Life intervention as per the standard curriculum	Behavioral: Better Body Better Life; The BBBL program is an Air Force weight management program.). It was created based on the Adult Learning Model and consists of 5 independent modules that are taught in-person to groups of up to 15-20 individuals. Each module is done in a classroom and is 2 hours long. One module per week is offered. Individuals can attend the modules in any order but they are required to complete a pre-survey and 3-day food record prior to attending their first class; Other Names: BBBL
Active Comparator: Fitness Improvement Program; Participants take the Fitness Improvement Program on-line	Behavioral: Fitness Improvement Program; The FIP is a standardized course that can be accessed on-line through the Advanced Distributed Learning Service (ADLS) and takes approximately 90 minutes to view all of the course material. The on-line FIP can be done all in one sitting or in segments. There is no restriction on the frequency with which the FIP is viewed however, because it is accessed through ADLS, it may be difficult to view at a non-military computer. The FIP consists of an introduction, three core components (nutrition, physical training, and spiritual well-being), and a summary. Each section has a short video presentation. The core components have short quizzes at the end to assess knowledge and the training asks participants to set goals. Participants are then responsible for using the information for their own self-directed program.; Other Names: BE WELL

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Weight	measured on a calibrated human weight scale	6 months
Abdominal Circumference	measurement taken as per Air Force Instruction for the Fitness Assessment	measured at 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Well-being	as measured by the Rand SF 36 questionnaire. Scores range from 0-100 with higher scores indicating greater well-being or function.	6 months
Lipids	serum levels obtained through venipuncture	6 months
Physical Activity	As measured by minutes per week of physical activity	6 months
HbA1C	serum levels obtained through venipuncture	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: David Grant U.S. Air Force Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Armitage NH, Kramer MK, Nelson MS, Hopkins D, Langeslay R, Thornton JA. Effectiveness of Lifestyle Interventions in an Active Duty Air Force Population. Am J Health Promot. 2021 Jul;35(6):784-793. doi: 10.1177/0890117121997308. Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 11, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 17, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): October 17, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 18, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): September 22, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 15, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 13, 2020
• Last Verified: July 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: FDG20150017H

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO