To develop and test the effectiveness of a dietary intervention aiming to enhance self-efficacy through sending images through instant messaging.
Healthy eating is linked to improved survival and quality of life among cancer survivors. However, previous studies showed that most cancer survivors were not adhering to dietary recommendations despite having made changes post-diagnosis. Conventional nutrition counseling interventions are often used in this population. However, they are labor and cost intensive and involved multiple sessions with participants. Written materials have often been used to facilitate improvements of dietary quality beyond nutrition counseling sessions but are outdated. Therefore, we propose to develop and test the effectiveness of a dietary intervention aiming to enhance self-efficacy through sending images through instant messaging. Methods to increase self-efficacy include performance accomplishment, persuasion, modelling and peer-modelling. A prospective, randomized controlled trial design will be used to test the effectiveness of the intervention. A total of 168 adult Chinese cancer survivors, diagnosed with non-metastatic cancer (Stages 0-III), and have completed all active treatments, including surgery and adjuvant treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned into one of two groups at a 1:1 ratio, using computer-generated block randomization sequences. The first group will be an active control group. Participants in this group will receive knowledge-based dietary information through an instant messaging applications biweekly for 6 times. The second group will be the intervention group. Participants will receive biweekly self-efficacy enhancing materials for 6 times. Materials will provide information about behavior-health link, provide information on consequences, provide instruction, and provide opportunities for social comparison. For example, the materials will provide recipe ideas and meal planning samples from fellow cancer survivors. All materials will be developed by a registered dietitian and will be consistent with published dietary guidelines for cancer survivors. Participants will have follow-up appointments at 3 months. Their dietary quality and skin carotenoid status will be monitored. It is hypothesized that dietary quality will be better and skin carotenoid status will be higher for participants in the intervention group compared to participants in the active control group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
68
A total of 6 images will be sent to participants via instant messaging. Images will utilize concepts in the Theory of self-efficacy to increase dietary self-efficacy among participants and hence improve dietary quality beyond that of conventional nutrition counseling.
A total of 6 images will be sent to participants via instant messaging. Images will consist of information covered in nutrition counseling sessions, such as those related to serving sizes.
JCICC
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Changes from baseline in mean dietary quality
Servings of fruit and vegetables per day, number of red meat servings per week and ratio of whole to refined grains measured by a 3-day dietary record self-completed by participants before baseline and 3-months follow-up
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Changes from baseline in mean skin carotenoid reading
Skin carotenoid status reading measured by a reflective spectroscopy machine
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
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