Virtual Lifestyle Programming to Limit Collateral Health Damage From COVID 19 Pandemic: an Evaluation

The Wellness Institute is offering a new cardiometabolic and weight loss program. It is a digital behavior change program designed to help clients achieve healthy weight reduction, thereby improving cardiometabolic risk. The target population is overweight or obese individuals at risk for or living with health conditions such as pre-diabetes, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the program following a mixed methods quasi-experimental approach using focus groups, questionnaires, and data collected over the 16 week duration of the program. Participants will be asked to fill in a set of questionnaires to measure physical activity, diet, sleep and stress at the start and end of the program. Other outcomes include changes in body weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, clinical chemistry, and medication intake over the 16 week program. At the end of the program, adherence will be measured though attendance and platform usage and acceptability will be measured by an exit questionnaire and virtual focus groups. This study will investigate the impact of COVID-19 on participants lifestyles and access to lifestyle programs and support. The impact of COVID-19 will be assessed through a Covid-19 questionnaire and virtual focus groups.