A recent study conducted in India, known as the PROgramme of Lifestyle Intervention in Families for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction (PROLIFIC), has revealed that a family-based approach to lifestyle interventions can significantly improve weight management and reduce obesity-related health outcomes. The research, which focused on individuals with a family history of premature coronary heart disease, highlights the potential of community-driven health initiatives.
The study, a cluster-randomized controlled trial, involved 1,671 participants, including 1,111 women from 750 families. Families were randomly assigned to either a family-based intervention group or a usual care group. The intervention group received structured counseling from non-physician health workers who provided regular home visits, goal-setting sessions, and peer group discussions centered on diet, physical activity, and cardiovascular health. In contrast, the usual care group received only a single counseling session and annual cardiovascular risk screenings, with no continuous interventions.
Over the course of two years, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in weight and cardiovascular health outcomes. After adjusting for family clustering and socio-economic factors, the intervention participants experienced a 2.61 kg greater reduction in weight (P < .001), a 1.06 kg/m² greater reduction in BMI (P < .001), and a 4.17 cm greater reduction in waist circumference (P < .001) compared to the usual care group.
These results underscore the importance of family-oriented health strategies in addressing obesity and cardiovascular risks, particularly among individuals at high risk due to family history. The findings suggest that such interventions could have a profound impact on public health, helping to prevent diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases in the future.
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