Oecotrophologie · Facility Management (OEF)
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Effect of a 6-Month Controlled Lifestyle Intervention on Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
(2021)
Introduction: Moving towards a more plant-based dietary pattern would likely be beneficial in terms of a variety of sustainability dimensions.
Methodology: We conducted a 2-year intervention study with six measurement time points (baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 1½ years, 2 years) in rural northwest Germany. The intervention consisted of a lifestyle programme, and dietary recommendations were to move towards a healthy, plant-based diet. The control group received no intervention. Diet quality was assessed with the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI).
Results: In the intervention group (n = 67), the 2-year trajectory of hPDI was significantly higher compared to control (n = 39; p 0.001; between-group difference: 5.7 (95% CI 4.0, 7.3) food portions/day; adjusted for baseline). The 2-year trajectory of meat intake was significantly lower in the intervention group (n = 79) compared to control (n = 40; p 0.001; between-group difference: -0.7 (95% CI -0.9, -0.5) portions/day; adjusted for baseline).
Conclusion: Our study confirms that plant-based nutrition education in the general population is likely to result in at least modest dietary improvements in terms of general healthfulness and meat reduction.
Introduction: Many disease processes are accompanied and promoted
by increased inflammation in the body. Increased concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the blood are an indicator of subclinical inflammation, increased disease risk, and an increased risk of early death. A healthy plant-based diet and increased physical activity have been shown to reduce hs-CRP concentrations.
Objectives: Our objective was to test if a healthy lifestyle intervention program can improve hs-CRP levels and other risk factors.
Methodology: We are conducting a non-randomized, controlled intervention study with 6 times of measurement (baseline, after 2.5, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months). Participants in the intervention group (n = 104) took part in a 2.5-month intensive lifestyle program focusing on a plant-based diet (PBD), physical activity, stress management and group support. Currently they are in the less intensive phase (monthly seminars) which will be completed after 24 months. The control group (n = 62) did not take part in any program. In both groups hs-CRP was assessed, and participants with an infection/common cold at any of the times of measurement were excluded from the analyses.
Results: In the intervention group (n = 97) we observed a reduction in hsCRP from baseline to 2.5 months (p < 0.001). In the control group (n = 46) hs-CRP levels increased non-significantly. The changes from baseline to 2.5 months were significantly different between intervention and control (p < 0.01).
Conclusion: Our program led to a clinically relevant reduction in hs-CRP.
Continued follow-up will show if this improvement can be maintained in the intervention group. Our study confirms that a PBD and healthier lifestyle choices can lower hs-CRP.
Effect of a community-based lifestyle intervention programme on quality of life among German women
(2021)
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.
Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries and worldwide. The concentrations of serum total and LDL cholesterol as well as a higher intima media thickness of the common carotid artery (ccIMT) are associated with higher CVD risk. Measuring ccIMT makes it possible to already assess the atherosclerotic process at the subclinical stage. Methods: A two-year nonrandomized, controlled intervention study with 6 times of measurement (baseline; at 10 weeks; at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months). Participants of the intervention group (n = 112) took part in a ten-week intensive lifestyle program (including bi-weekly group sessions, workshops, and personal health coaching at baseline and at 10 weeks), followed by a less intensive phase (monthly lifestyle education group sessions). The control group (n = 87) did not take part in any program. In both groups, CVD-related parameters were assessed, including cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL), ccIMT (not assessed at 10 weeks), as well as health behavior (questionnaires). In between group means were compared with ANOVA using IBM SPSS 24. Results: After 10 weeks, the intervention group showed a reduction in total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol values compared to baseline (p < 0.01). In the control group, these parameters did not change. After 6 months, there was no statistically significant difference in ccIMT change between intervention and control. The 6-month blood results are not available
yet. Conclusion: Our lifestyle program led to clinically relevant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol. Continued follow-up will show whether the improvement of cholesterol levels will be maintained in the intervention group and whether ccIMT will differ between intervention and control.
Selenium and Immunity
(2019)
Lifestyle diseases are linked with hyper-reactivity of inflammatory and immune cells. These cells generate free radicals in the patients, which results in oxidative stress. Recent studies have brought attention to the role of oxidative stress, defined as an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. Our research was focused on studying the effects of a community-based lifestyle intervention program on oxidative stress paraments in the plasma of a rural German community. In our study, we examined 105 participants in the intervention group and 70 participants in the control group. The intervention group received 10 weeks of intensive intervention in the form of seminars and workshops. The plasma levels were analyzed at baseline and after 10 weeks of intervention. This is a first-of-itskind study which elucidates the impact of an intensive lifestyle intervention program on the oxidative stress markers in German rural participants. The primary focus of our study was to motivate and encourage participants to switch over toward a healthier lifestyle by improving their knowledge and making them more aware of the principles of healthy living. This may be a useful community program approach, modifiable for different communities by health-services planners in the coming future.