Body Composition Assessment and Smart-phone Based Counselling on Healthy Eating and Weight Management

NCT05400187 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: P0013890
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 221
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study proposed an integrated multi-disciplinary approach including a professional and convenient body composition measurement and an immediate counselling after the measurement, followed by 6-month smart-phone based individualized counselling. We believe that this approach will promote healthy eating behaviors and weight management among middle-aged Chinese in Hong Kong.

Conditions

Weight Management; Healthy Diet

Keywords

Body Composition Assessment; Smart-phone Based Counselling; Weight Management; Health Eating Behavior; Middle-aged Hong Kong Chinese

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• The difference of the weight management belief

  Four items from belief domain of Chinese weight management scales (WMS) was used to measure the participants' belief of self weight management . Each item is measured by 3- or 4-point Likert scale. The total score change from 4 to 15 with higher scores indicating better weight management belief.

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

• The difference of the weight management knowledge

  The knowledge of weight management was measured by 13 items from the general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ). Each item carries one point for a correct answer and the maximum score is 13. A higher score shows better weight management knowledge.

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• The difference of health eating behavior

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

• Weight

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

• Body mass index (BMI)

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

• Waist circumference

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

• Hip circumference

  From baseline to 6 months after randomization

Study Arms (2)

Body composition assessment and smart-phone based counselling group

EXPERIMENTAL

In this study, we consider body composition measurement together with an immediate brief counselling after the measurement as part of the intervention. The body composition measurement will allow the participants to get familiar with their own anthropometric data and serve as cues to actions of healthy diet adoption and weight management and control. Based on the measured body fat and anthropometric data, a trained research assistant will give brief individualized dietary and weight management counselling to the participants. The Whatsapp-based counselling and communication will heighten the awareness through reinforcing the need and benefits of body composition and weight control, the importance of energy balance, as well as providing professional and tailor-made advice on healthy eating and weight management. Qualitative dietary counselling will be offered every two weeks through the Whatsapp.

Behavioral: Body composition assessment and smart-phone based counselling

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control group will receive the simple body composition measurement only, without an immediate counselling after the measurement. Whey will be informed the values of anthropometric data and body composition parameters, no detailed interpretation of the values will be delivered to them. They will also not receive the professional consultant of the healthy diet and weight management from the diatetitian during the intervention period.

Interventions

Body composition assessment and smart-phone based counselling BEHAVIORAL

As for the body composition assessment, body fat and muscle thickness, body fat percentage and distribution will be measured and a brief face-to-face counseling soon after the measurement will be implemented to the participants. Body assessment were measured by the InBody 270 (Biospace, Seoul, Korea) device, which provides a convenient way of accurate body fat measurement comparable with those obtained using air displacement plethysmography (ADP) (about 90% precision). As for the Whatsapp-based counselling and communication session, qualitative dietary counselling will be offered every two weeks through the Whatsapp. One session contains 15 minutes, including the topics like making a balanced diet (55 % glucose, 30 % lipids and 15 % proteins), diversifying food intake, dietary advices and recommendations in healthy eating behaviors (e.g., eat slowly, eat at a regular time, avoid to skip a meal, drink at least 1.5 L of water each day).

Body composition assessment and smart-phone based counselling group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 45 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Able to understand Cantonese and read Chinese;
• Self-reported vegetable and fruit consumption is less than 5 servings per day (one serving means 125 mL (½ cup) fresh, frozen or canned fruits or vegetables; or 250 mL (1 cup) raw leafy veggies or salad; or 125 mL (½ cup) 100% juice; or 1 fruit;
• Reachable by smart-phone and familiar with the use of smart-phone;
• Would not move from the local area during the study period.

You may not qualify if:

• Self-reported history of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, neurological disorder, musculo-skeletal disorder, osteoarthritis, and eating disorder;
• Receiving medically prescribed diet or physical activity intervention;
• For women, currently pregnant;
• Have been taking any medications or long-term supplement such as herbs;
• Cannot provide written informed consent.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hung Hom, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Yang Q, Zhang Y, Liang J, Wang HH, Ma T, Qin J, Xie YJ. Nurse-led counselling and smartphone-based coaching for dietary behaviors, weight management and cardiometabolic risk in middle-aged Chinese in Hong Kong: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2026 Jan 29:zvag027. doi: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvag027. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 41605251 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Yao Jie Xie, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: During the randomization session, the generated random numbers will be placed in opaque and tamperproof envelopes and sealed. Another independent person (other than statistician) will open all envelopes for eligible participants and responsible for arranging participants to undertake their corresponding treatments. Participants, investigators, and statistician will be concealed about the random allocation until each participant has been registered and the assignments have been made. The research assistant who will perform the outcome measures and the statistician are blinded to treatment group assignment.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: The intervention group will receive a convenient body composition measurement and 6-month smart-phone based individualized counselling. Through close collaborations with the experts in nutrition, we can effectively disseminate the knowledge of weight management and control and healthy diet to the middle-aged population. No specific intervention will be given to the control group except the common anthropometric and body composition measurement.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 18, 2022
• First Posted: June 1, 2022
• Study Start: June 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2022
• Study Completion: December 31, 2022
• Last Updated: April 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Locations

HK (1)