Short-term results from the Logan Healthy Living Program: A telephone counselling intervention for physical activity & diet

The Logan Healthy Living Program is one of the first large-scale Australian studies to evaluate a telephone counselling intervention for physical activity (PA) and diet. It targeted patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension from a disadvantaged area south of Brisbane. Using a cluster-randomised design, 10 practices were randomised to the telephone counselling intervention (TC) or usual care (UC). Electronic medical records were used to identify condition-eligible patients. TC participants received a workbook and 18 tapered calls over 12 months. Data are collected via telephone at baseline, 4-, 12-, and 18-months using validated measures for PA (Active Australia) and diet (ACCV Food Frequency Questionnaire). 434 patients consented to participate (TC n=228, UC n=206; 58±12 years; 61% female; 60% ≥ three chronic conditions; 84% overweight or obese; 66% ≤ high school education; 35% annual income < $26,000). Preliminary analysis of the recently completed 4-month dataset (n = 369) revealed significant intervention effects (TC vs UC) for change in sessions of PA (2.1±5.6 vs 0.6±5.7, p=0.01), % energy from total fat (-2.3±4.6 vs -0.5±4.5,