Currently submitted to: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Mar 27, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 30, 2026 - May 25, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A Workplace Brief Motivational Intervention for Sugar Sweetened Beverage Reduction: Protocol, Feasibility, and Fidelity
ABSTRACT
Background:
Metabolic disease, including type-2 diabetes, is a major public health concern. Reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a critical target for disease prevention and lifestyle modification. Workplace interventions offer a promising opportunity to address barriers to behavioral change while strengthening motivation and self-efficacy.
Objective:
We describe the protocol, fidelity and feasibility of a theory-informed brief intervention based on motivational interviewing principles to support reductions in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among healthcare workers. We also report preliminary findings in proposed mechanisms of behavior change.
Methods:
Participants (N=314) allocated to the intervention arm of a multi-center randomized-controlled trial received a four-dose intervention consisting of an introductory phone call, a brief counseling session, and two booster calls, supplemented by at-home tools targeting stress and craving management. We assessed fidelity to motivational interviewing principles (competence scores) and describe feasibility via intervention dose adherence. Finally, we examined motivation for change and perceived self-efficacy over time.
Results:
More than 60% of enrolled participants completed all four doses, suggesting feasibility and high retention in the context of a remotely delivered workplace intervention. Health coaches achieved basic levels of proficiency in two of four competence scores: technical (M(SD): 3.23 (0.48)) and complex reflections (M(SD): 41.91% (15.17)). Preliminary findings indicate improvements in motivation for change (F (1.52, 304.65) = 32.21, p < .001) and self-efficacy (F (1.94, 391.42) = 7.60, p < .001) over time.
Conclusions:
This theory-grounded brief motivational intervention may offer a cost effective and accessible approach for employers to support behavioral change related to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Findings from the fully powered randomized-controlled trial are needed to determine if the brief intervention can effectively change behavior. This protocol establishes the intervention and its framework to inform future implementation. Clinical Trial: NCT05972109
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