Remote Dietary Counseling to Promote Healthy Diet and Blood Pressure
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03700710 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : October 9, 2018
Last Update Posted : July 28, 2021
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American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) hypertension guidelines recommend lifestyle modification for patients with elevated blood pressure. While eating a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-type diet, increasing physical activity, and weight loss have been shown to reduce blood pressure, limited resources are available in the primary care setting to help patients make these changes.
In this study, the investigators will compare the efficacy of a self-guided vs. dietitian-led approach using web-based lifestyle modification tools to reduce weight, improve dietary quality, and lower blood pressure in overweight/obese adults with elevated blood pressure.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Blood Pressure High Blood Pressure Dietary Modification Overweight and Obesity | Behavioral: Self-Guided Approach Behavioral: Dietitian-led Approach | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 187 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Remote Dietary Counseling Using Web-based Tools to Promote Healthy Diet and Blood Pressure (Healthy BP) |
Actual Study Start Date : | January 16, 2019 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | June 30, 2021 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | June 30, 2021 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Active Comparator: Self-Guided Approach
In the self-guided arm, participants will receive access to web-based tools to help achieve healthy lifestyle changes to lower their blood pressure. The web-based tools include: 1) a web-based food frequency questionnaire (Viocare FFQ), which will provide a snapshot of participants' dietary habits in the past 6 months as well as personalized recommendations for areas to improve; 2) access to an evidence-based program (Evolve, formerly BMIQ), which includes program materials for weight loss and leading a healthy lifestyle as well as the ability for capturing dietary data entry. |
Behavioral: Self-Guided Approach
For a 12-week period, patients will be asked to access the web platform (Evolve, formerly BMIQ), review educational materials, and enter dietary information. From January 2019 to February 2021, participants used an earlier version of the platform, which was used in tandem with LoseIt (www.loseit.com), a meal-logging app that integrated with the platform. In February 2021, a platform update occurred (Evolve) where the core tenets of the program remained the same and included the dietary data entry directly on the platform. |
Experimental: Dietitian-led Approach
In the dietitian-led arm, dietitian will use motivational interviewing in 15-30 minute telephone calls with participants. The web-based tools include: 1) a web-based food frequency questionnaire (Viocare FFQ), which will provide a snapshot of participants' dietary habits in the past 6 months as well as personalized recommendations for areas to improve; 2) access to an evidence-based program (Evolve, formerly BMIQ), which includes program materials for weight loss and leading a healthy lifestyle as well as the ability for capturing dietary data entry. The web platform will be used to share participant dietary and weight data with dietitians. |
Behavioral: Dietitian-led Approach
For a 12-week period, patients will be asked to access the web platform (Evolve, formerly BMIQ), review educational materials, and enter dietary information. From January 2019 to February 2021, participants used an earlier version of the platform, which was used in tandem with LoseIt (www.loseit.com), a meal-logging app that integrated with the platform. In February 2021, a platform update occurred (Evolve) where the core tenets of the program remained the same and included the dietary data entry directly on the platform. Dietitians will access the web platform and provided personalized motivational interview phone calls on a weekly basis. |
- Change in 24-hour Systolic Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in 24-hour diastolic blood pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in Daytime Systolic Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in Nighttime Systolic Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in Daytime Diastolic Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in Nighttime Diastolic Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Ontrak)
- Change in Total Healthy Eating Index - 2015 score [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Assessed by Viocare Food Frequency Questionnaire (score 0-100, 100=best possible score)
- Change in Weight [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Weight measured at baseline and 12-week visits without shoes
- Change in Waist Circumference [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured using a tape measure
- Change in Physical Activity (metabolic equivalent of task [MET]-minute per week [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Measured by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Short Form
- Change in individual components of Healthy Eating Index score [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12-week follow-up ]Each individual component of the Healthy Eating Index score will be examined
- Satisfaction with the Healthy BP Research Study [ Time Frame: 12-week follow-up ]5-point Likert score

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- 24-hour ambulatory SBP 120-160 mmHg
- BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2
- Access to a telephone
- Access to a computer or smartphone with internet access
- Complete dietary data entry for at least 5 out of 7 days during run-in period
- Enter weight into the platform during run-in period
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to understand English
- Myocardial infarction, stroke, or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease procedure within last 6 months.
- Current treatment for malignancy
- Planned or previous bariatric surgery
- Pregnant, breast-feeding, or planned pregnancy prior to the end of participation
- Self-reported average consumption of > 21 alcoholic beverages per week or binge drinking.
- Psychiatric hospitalization in past year
- Current symptoms of angina
- Planning to leave the area prior to end of the study
- Current participation in another clinical trial
- Principal investigator discretion (i.e. concerns about safety, compliance)

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03700710
United States, Pennsylvania | |
Geisinger Medical Center | |
Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822 | |
Geisinger Wyoming Valley | |
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, 18711 |
Principal Investigator: | Alexander Chang, MD | Geisinger Clinic |
Responsible Party: | Geisinger Clinic |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03700710 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2018-0433 |
First Posted: | October 9, 2018 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | July 28, 2021 |
Last Verified: | July 2021 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | The study protocol, statistical analysis plan, informed consent form, analytic code, and clinical study report will be shared at the time of publication of the main trial results; these data will be deidentified. These data will be publicly available indefinitely. |
Supporting Materials: |
Study Protocol Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) Informed Consent Form (ICF) Clinical Study Report (CSR) Analytic Code |
Time Frame: | Data will become available at the time of publication of the main trial results and will be publicly available indefinitely. |
Access Criteria: | The deidentified IPD will be publicly available without restrictions. |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
lifestyle modification DASH diet weight loss exercise |
Hypertension Overweight Body Weight Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases |