A translational worksite diabetes prevention trial improves psychosocial status, dietary intake, and step counts among employees with prediabetes: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective Few worksite trials have examined the impact of diabetes prevention interventions on psychological and behavioral outcomes. Thus, the impact of a worksite lifestyle intervention on psychosocial outcomes, food group intake, and step counts for physical activity (PA) was evaluated. Method A randomized pretest/posttest control group design with 3-month follow-up was employed from October 2012 to May 2014 at a U.S. university worksite among employees with prediabetes. The experimental group (n = 35) received a 16-week group-based intervention while the control group received usual care (n = 33). Repeated measures analysis of variance compared the change in outcomes between groups across time. Results A significant difference occurred between groups post-intervention for self-efficacy associated with eating and PA; goal commitment and difficulty; satisfaction with weight loss and physical fitness; peer social support for healthful eating; generation of alternatives for problem solving; and intake of fruits, meat, fish, poultry, nuts, and seeds (all ps < .05). The experimental group significantly increased step counts post-intervention (p = .0279) and were significantly more likely to report completing their work at study end (p = .0231). Conclusion The worksite trial facilitated improvement in modifiable psychosocial outcomes, dietary patterns, and step counts; the long-term impact on diabetes prevention warrants further investigation.