Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background: Digital health technologies can promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. They can help patients identify, treat, and self-care for chronic illnesses, promote healthy aging, and minimize disparities through primary prevention. However, there is limited research on the efficacy of these systems in promoting healthy eating and physical activity and improving clinical outcomes among older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Aims: This pilot study aimed to (1) evaluate the feasibility of the study protocol for indicators of process (e.g., recruitment, consent, retention rates, engagement), resources (e.g., participant adherence, data collection time), and program safety (e.g., number of adverse events); and (2) compare changes in eating patterns, physical activity, and clinical outcomes (weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and hemoglobin A1C [HbA1C]) between participants randomized to Get FIT vs. Get FIT+ at baseline (pre-intervention) and 12 weeks (post-intervention).
Methods: Fifty-four older adults (65.6 ± 5.8 years, 61% females, 61% married, 50% Asians, 6% Whites, 33% Hispanics, 11% Blacks) were randomized to Get FIT (n=24), which included one in-person behavioral counseling session on healthy eating and exercise, a participant handbook, an activity tracker (Fitbit Charge), and access to a nutrition app (MyFitnessPal) for 12 weeks, or Get Fit+ (n=30), which included weekly personalized text messages to motivate and encourage participants to meet their weekly goals in addition to all the other components offered to participants in Get FIT.
Results: All feasibility metrics were highly satisfactory, with consent and retention rates being 100% at 12 weeks. Both groups increased moderate to vigorous physical activity levels and decreased calorie intake over time. Participants in Get FIT+ showed a 6% reduction in weight compared to less than 1% in the Get FIT group. All participants showed improvements in blood pressure levels, lipid profiles, and HbA1C, but improvements in HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were more prominent in the Get FIT+ group.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the Get FIT+ intervention may help encourage healthy eating and physical activity among older adults while lowering their cardiometabolic risk. A large randomized clinical trial is needed to evaluate the efficacy of multicomponent digital health therapies in older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease.