Weight Loss Intervention in Long-Haul Truck Drivers: A Pilot Study
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Utah
- Enrollment
- 13
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Measured Weight Loss from baseline to the end of the study
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Being obese can be a risk factor for many health problems, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, low back pain, heart attacks and some cancers. Truckers, who are integral to our economy, face challenges that put them at increased likelihood of being obese. The investigators want to come up with a program to help drivers get to a healthy weight and stay there.
The WHEEL pilot study is a 12 week weight loss intervention in long-haul commercial truck drivers. The study involves two visits to the University of Utah's Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, one at the start of the study and a second one at the end of the study. Both visits include a general health history questionnaire, a 24-hour diet recall questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, as well as an assessment of blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and a cholesterol and lipid panel. Each truck driver is assigned a health coach who helps the driver create and achieve three health goals.
The health coach works with the driver to set individualized goals specific to weight loss, and contacts the driver weekly to check in and tweak goals as needed.
Drivers are also compensated for their participation in the study and get to keep all of the intervention materials that the investigators give them. All that the researchers ask is that they try their best to have a healthier lifestyle and give us feedback on what they liked and didn't like in the study.
Detailed Description
The investigators recruited 13 truckers based in Utah's Wasatch Front (population 2.2 Million) who expressed interest in participating in a weight loss intervention when they participated in the cross-sectional truck driver study (current enrollment, n= 817 truckers). Other options the investigators may pursue to maintain enrollment include enrolling participants directly through local trucking companies. Participants will be screened for eligibility based on
- Age > 21
- BMI > 30 kg/m2
- No reported unstable chronic disease
Interstate truckers are required to be at least 21 years old. Participants will not be enrolled in the intervention until they complete the physical assessment component of the baseline visit that includes blood pressure, lipids, and HbA1c. Individuals who do not meet the established medical guidelines and regulations of the FMCSA will be excluded. Those individuals will be advised to follow-up for care with their personal physicians, and/or will be referred to a primary care clinic.
Health coaches will have at least weekly contact with participants to discuss individual goals and behavior change. Motivational messages will be delivered in addition to weekly content via text messages and/or emails. Research suggests that individuals who begin losing weight quickly are more successful at weight loss and maintaining loss, therefore, after 3 weeks individuals who have not lost at least 3 pounds will receive additional contacts with health coaches to address slow rate of weight loss. Individual Competitions surrounding successful healthy behaviors of Truckers will be conducted every other week. Winning behaviors will be shared with other participants by email, text, phone calls, blogs and/or other distance friendly format to both engage drivers and model successful peer behaviors.
This is a study of weight loss intervention for long-haul commercial truck drivers who face unusual challenges to a healthy lifestyle while working. Participants (n=13) will be long-haul commercial truck drivers with a BMI over 30 kg/m2. Due to licensing issues, all interstate truck drivers are required to be at least 21 years old (US DOT, FMCSA), and thus proposed study participants will be at least 21 years old.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 21 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Participants will be screened for eligibility based on:
- •Age > 21
- •BMI > 30 kg/m2
- •No reported unstable chronic disease.
- •Participants will not be enrolled in the intervention until they complete the physical assessment component of the baseline visit that includes blood pressure, lipids, and HbA1c.
- •Individuals who do not meet the established medical guidelines and regulations of the FMCSA will be excluded. Those individuals will be advised to follow-up for care with their personal physicians, and/or will be referred to a primary care clinic.
- •Inclusion of women
- •Women will be included as they are represented in this population, although, the investigators expect, at rates that are less than the overall population. This is a convenience sample, thus there will not be attempts to over or under represent genders. The individualization of the interventions increases the likelihood of success of the intervention with both men and women.
- •Inclusion of minorities
- •The investigators will include minorities when possible. This is a convenience sample, so there will not be attempts to either over or under represent any racial or ethnic group.
- •Inclusion of Children
- •Commercial truck drivers must be 21 to drive interstate routes. Therefore, children, including those 18-20 years old, will not be included.
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
Interventional Arm
Health coaching arm to assess feasibility of intervention among truck driving population. Coaching will be weekly with emphasis on both diet and physical activity. No medication or treatment devices are administered.
Intervention: Health Coaching via Telephone (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Measured Weight Loss from baseline to the end of the study
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Difference in measured weight from baseline to the end of the study.
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Matthew Thiese
Assistant Professor
University of Utah