JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

An unhealthy diet is a well-established risk factor for the development of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and office workers are at a higher risk of NCD due to their sedentary work style. Transtheoretical model-based (TTM) and stage-matched interventions effectively influenced dietary behavioural changes. The effectiveness of such interventions in the context of developing countries is yet to be assessed.

Methods:

A cluster randomised trial will be conducted in 20 clusters divided into intervention and control arms. A cluster will be an office with 30 clerical-type workers who are sedentary at work. A stage-matched intervention based on processes of behaviour change will be implemented in intervention clusters for three months. Participants will be provided with an intervention matched with their stage of change at the baseline. Pre-contemplators and contemplators will receive awareness-raising and emotional arousal interventions. Others will receive goal-setting and self-monitoring interventions. Stage of change and dietary intake will be assessed at the baseline and post-intervention through a staging algorithm and 24-hour dietary recall supplemented by a picture guide and computer software. Adherence to intervention will be assessed monthly. We hypothesise that participants will achieve a progressive change in the stage of change and healthy dietary intake in intervention clusters compared to control clusters. Discussion: The current study will assess the effectiveness of a stage-matched intervention based on TTM enriching the current knowledge base with new evidence from sedentary office workers in a developing country. Trail registration: The study was registered in the Sri Lankan Clinical Trial Registry (Registration No. SLCTR/2020/025; Date 15th December 2020)