iSIPsmarter: An RCT Evaluating the Efficacy of a Technology-Based Intervention to Reduce Sugary Drinks in Rural Appalachia

University of Virginia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sugar-Sweetened Beverages; Diet Habit

Treatments: Behavioral: Patient Education (PE); Behavioral: iSIPsmarter

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05030753

R01MD015033 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

University of Virginia

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed randomized controlled trial (RCT) is guided by the RE-AIM (i.e. reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance) framework and targets 244 adults from rural Appalachia. The overall goal is to examine the efficacy of iSIPsmarter in a 2 group [iSIPsmarter vs. static Patient Education (PE) website] by 4 assessment (Pre, 3-, 6- and 18-month follow-up) design. It is hypothesized that iSIPsmarter will be more efficacious at reducing SSB consumption than a PE website at post assessment.

Full description

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB, e.g., soda/pop, sweet tea, sports and energy drinks, fruit drinks) are the largest single food source of calories in the United States (US) diet and contributes approximately 7% of total daily energy intake for US adults. Among Appalachian adults, SSB intake is disproportionately high, averaging about 14% of total daily energy intake. There are strong and consistent data documenting relationships among high SSB consumption and numerous health issues such obesity, diabetes, some obesity-related cancers, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and dental decay. Further compounding the SSB problem, the Appalachian region lacks access to providers, medical services, and evidence-based behavioral prevention programs. There is also limited data on technology-based behavioral interventions in Appalachia. However, given recent progress in shrinking the digital divide, the timing is optimal to evaluate technology-based behavioral interventions in this region. The current proposal is designed to target this major SSB dietary risk factor and public health challenge, as well as address notable gaps in the rural e/m-Health literature. Importantly, this proposal builds on our team's e/m-Health intervention expertise and decade of SSB behavioral intervention research in rural Appalachia. iSIPsmarter is a technology-based behavioral and health literacy intervention targeting SSB reduction and weight reduction/maintenance. It is comprised of six core Internet-delivered modules, an integrated short message service (SMS) strategy to engage users in tracking SSB behaviors, and a cellular enabled scale for in-home weight tracking. iSIPsmarter is a highly interactive, structured, and self-guided program that uses strategies previously proven to promote behavior change. iSIPsmarter also incorporates a stepped care approach to engage users who struggle to complete components of the intervention. The proposed RCT is guided by the RE-AIM framework and targets 244 adults from rural Appalachia. The overall goal is to examine the efficacy of iSIPsmarter in a 2 group [iSIPsmarter vs. static Patient Education (PE) website] by 4 assessment (Pre, 3-, 6- and 18-month follow-up) design. It is hypothesized that iSIPsmarter will be more efficacious at reducing SSB consumption than a PE website at post assessment. Changes in secondary outcomes (e.g. overall dietary quality, weight, quality of life) and maintenance of outcomes at 6- and 18-months post intervention will also be evaluated. Additional secondary aims include to examine reach and representativeness, patterns of user engagement, and cost. Two tertiary aims include exploratory mediation analyses and a systems-level, participatory process to understand context for future organizational-level adoption of iSIPsmarter, and specifically to explore factors that would promote or inhibit a sustainable SSB screening and referral process. The long-term goal of this line of this research is to sustain an effective, scalable, and high reach behavioral intervention to improve SSB behaviors and weight and to reduce SSB-related health inequities and chronic conditions in rural Appalachia and beyond.

Enrollment: 249 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 110 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• English speaking adults, > or equal to 18 years of age, consume >200 kcals of SSB/day, ability and willingness to access an internet-enabled device at least one time per week and receive SMS-based reminder prompts.

Exclusion criteria

• non-English speaking adults, <18 years of age, consume <200 kcals of SSB/day, inability and willingness to access an internet-enabled device at least one time per week and receive SMS-based reminder prompts. Also, only one person per household is eligible to participate in the trial.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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249 participants in 2 patient groups

iSIPsmarter

Experimental group

Description:

iSIPsmarter is a technology-based behavioral and health literacy intervention. It is comprised of six Internet-delivered Cores, an integrated short message service (SMS) strategy to engage users in tracking SSB behaviors, and the incorporation of a cellular enabled scale for in-home weight tracking. Participants will be prompted (via email or text) to self-monitor their sugar-sweetened beverage intake. iSIPsmarter is a highly interactive, structured, and self-guided program that uses strategies previously proven to promote behavior change. iSIPsmarter also incorporates a stepped care approach to re-engage users who struggle to complete components.

Treatment:

Behavioral: iSIPsmarter

Patient Education (PE)

Active Comparator group

Description:

he PE website will include scientifically accurate information that is typical of nutrition education websites and will include information about SSB recommendations, types of SSB and portion size, SSB-related health risks, energy balance information, identifying personal motivators and barriers to reducing SSB intake, interpreting SSB nutrition labels, and recognizing media influences and misclaims in SSB advertisements, as well as printable forms to track SSB and weight. Unlike iSIPsmarter, the content will not be tailored and will be presented all at once.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Patient Education (PE)