Open Access

Ragna-Marie Kranz, Heike Englert

• Background Quality of life is an important concept in the field of health, which can be influenced by various lifestyle factors. The objective was to test if a community-based lifestyle programme would beneficially affect the health-related quality of life of German women. Methods The controlled intervention study had a total duration of 24 months. Quality of life (EQ-5D-3L), anthropometrics, vital and blood parameters as well as diagnosed diseases and health economic parameters were collected at baseline (t0), after 10 weeks (t1) and after 6 months (t2). For the intervention group (n = 65) a 10-week intensive lifestyle programme followed by monthly alumni meetings were conducted. The intensive phase consisted of 14 consecutive seminars about a healthy lifestyle, which focused on a plant-based diet, physical activity, stress management and community support. The control group (n = 35) received no intervention. Results The first descriptive health profile results of the subgroup analysis showed that 59% women of the intervention group at t0 (t1: 37%; t2: 48%) and 60% of the control group at t0 (t1: 54%; t2: 49%) reported problems in at least one of the EQ-5D dimensions (mobility, selfcare, activities, pain, and anxiety). A significant difference in EQ VAS change between women in intervention (7,15 [95% CI 4,32; 9,98]; EQ VAS t0: 75,35 [SD 13,71]) and control group (-2,63 [95% CI -5,40; 0,15]; EQ VAS t0: 78,80 [SD 18,51]) from t0 to t1 was observed (p < 001; adjusted for baseline). No significant differences in mean EQ VAS change from t0 to t2 and in mean EQ-5D index change from t0 to t1 and t0 to t2 between the groups were observed (p > 0,05; adjusted for baseline). Conclusions The preliminary results suggest that the lifestyle intervention programme can have a positive short-time effect on some aspects of quality of life, such as the health profile and EQ VAS. However, the long-term results will be shown in the future. Key messages - A healthy lifestyle can affect the quality of life in a positive way. - The community-based lifestyle programme had a short-time influence on the descriptive health profile and EQ VAS of German women, whereby the EQ index didńt change significantly between the groups.