The effect of tailored web-based feedback and optional telephone coaching on health improvements: A randomized intervention among employees in the transport service industry

Background: lifestyle-related health problems are an important health concern in the transport service industry. web- and telephone-based interventions could be suitable for this target group requiring tailored approaches. objective: to evaluate the effect of tailored web-based health feedback and optional telephone coaching to improve lifestyle factors (body mass index-bmi,dietary intake,physical activity,stress,sleep,tobacco and alcohol consumption,disease history,self-perceived health,and motivation to change health habits),in comparison to no health feedback or telephone coaching. methods: overall,3,876 employees in the swedish transport services were emailed a web-based questionnaire. they were randomized into: control group (group a,498 of 1238 answered,40.23%),or intervention web (group b,482 of 1305 answered,36.93%),or intervention web + telephone (group c,493 of 1333 answered,36.98%). all groups received an identical questionnaire,only the interventions differed. group b received tailored web-based health feedback,and group c received tailored web-based health feedback + optional telephone coaching if the participants' reported health habits did not meet the national guidelines,or if they expressed motivation to change health habits. the web-based feedback was fully automated. telephone coaching was performed by trained health counselors. nine months later,all participants received a follow-up questionnaire and intervention web + telephone. descriptive statistics,the chi-square test,analysis of variance,and generalized estimating equation (gee) models were used. results: overall,981 of 1473 (66.60%) employees participated at baseline (men: 66.7%,mean age: 44 years,mean bmi: 26.4 kg/m2) and follow-up. no significant differences were found in reported health habits between the 3 groups over time. however,significant changes were found in motivation to change. the intervention groups reported higher motivation to improve dietary habits (144 of 301 participants,47.8%,and 165 of 324 participants,50.9%,for groups b and c,respectively) and physical activity habits (181 of 301 participants,60.1%,and 207 of 324 participants,63.9%,for b and c,respectively) compared with the control group a (122 of 356 participants,34.3%,for diet and 177 of 356 participants,49.7%,for physical activity). at follow-up,the intervention groups had significantly decreased motivation (group b: p<.001 for change in diet; p<.001 for change in physical activity; group c: p=.007 for change in diet; p<.001 for change in physical activity),whereas the control group reported significantly increased motivation to change diet and physical activity (p<.001 for change in diet; p<.001 for change in physical activity). conclusion: tailored web-based health feedback and the offering of optional telephone coaching did not have a positive health effect on employees in the transport services. however,our findings suggest an increased short-term motivation to change health behaviors related to diet and physical activity among those receiving tailored web-based health feedback.