The First Twenty for Volunteer Firefighters

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of an internet-based firefighter health and wellness program for volunteer fire departments.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases; Obesity; Occupational Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: The First Twenty

Detailed Description

A national sample of volunteer fire departments will be recruited for a 6 month, CRCT with a cross-over treatment design to determine the efficacy of The First Twenty (TF20), a wellness program focused on nutrition and fitness for firefighters. Modifications to the existing TF20 will be made to enhance the health coaching features and include tools for program evaluation. Study outcomes (changes in weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, dietary intakes, blood pressure, and fitness activities) will be assessed pre- and post-intervention.

This will be the first internet-based, occupationally tailored health and wellness program implemented for the volunteer fire service. TF20 will be an essential cost effective tool to address the epidemic of unhealthy body composition, nutrition and fitness among firefighters.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 419
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

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:

• first responder within a participating fire department
• willing to complete all assessments
• internet accessibility through a computer, tablet or smartphone and ability to use devices appropriately

Exclusion Criteria:

- not a first responder within a participating fire department

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The First Twenty; The TF20 incorporates individual goal setting and health coaching, leveraging cultural aspects of the fire service and group cohesion to motivate behavior change. The TF20 focuses on the unique needs of FF with culturally relevant nutrition and fitness strategies. TF20 was primarily designed as a cost-effective, stand-alone program for departments which have no health promotion initiative. Program components include practical approaches to nutrition, fitness and mental health.	Behavioral: The First Twenty; The TF20 incorporates individual goal setting and health coaching, leveraging cultural aspects of the fire service and group cohesion to motivate behavior change. The TF20 focuses on the unique needs of FF with culturally relevant nutrition and fitness strategies. TF20 was primarily designed as a cost-effective, stand-alone program for departments which have no health promotion initiative. Program components include practical approaches to nutrition, fitness and mental health.
No Intervention: Control; Participants in this arm will not be asked to change anything in their lifestyle during the 6 month period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)	BMI from measured height and weight	baseline, 6 months
Change in Body Fat Percentage	body fat % from Tanita scale measurement	baseline, 6 months
Change in Waist Circumference	waist circumference from measured waist using a tape	baseline, 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Food and nutrient intake as assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)	The Food and Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) is a self-administered, semi-quantitative, food frequency questionnaire developed by the principal investigator. The FFQ presents a food list, which contains items contributing most to selected nutrient intakes among firefighters and foods encouraged by the intervention. FFQ data will be used to calculate usual nutrient intakes using the Food Intake Analysis System (FIASMe).	baseline, 6 months
Change in self reported physical activity and inactivity	SRPA	baseline, 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Collaborators: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rena S Day, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 6, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 6, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): June 8, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 29, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 28, 2018
• Last Verified: June 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: obesity; nutrition; cardiovascular disease; injury; fitness; firefighters
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Cardiovascular Diseases; Occupational Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSC-SPH-14-0749; EMW-2013-FP-00983 (Other Identifier: FEMA)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No