Effects of a Group-Based Online Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Among Rural Participants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Chronic diseases contribute to high death and disability rates around the globe. Rural areas of the southern United States have limited resources and disproportionately worse health outcomes, and increased prevalence of modifiable disease risk factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an online lifestyle medicine program on the dietary and social support health behavior determinants of rural adults. Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the lifestyle medicine intervention among rural participants (n = 80) randomized to either an intervention (n = 40) or waitlisted control (n = 40) group. Participants in the intervention group received a lifestyle medicine program via an online group-based format. Results: Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models for repeated-measures (MMRM) to evaluate intervention effects over time. The analysis showed significant intervention effects for primary outcomes regarding dietary produce health behavior determinants and secondary social support outcomes. The intervention, or experience over time, may have shifted certain behaviors and knowledge domains. Conclusion: Participants of the web-based lifestyle medicine intervention had positive improvements in dietary and social support determinants of health behaviors. The results can facilitate future intervention development and implementation among rural populations.