The DiRECT study
This project undertook a randomised controlled study of 40 participants with obesity, and either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, who were looking to lose weight. It was conducted within Te Kāika, a primary care provider in Dunedin.
Participants were randomised to either one year of gold-standard usual care (dietetic counselling, grocery vouchers to afford healthy foods, and free gym membership) or to the DiRECT intervention, a three-month programme of rapid weight loss via total meal replacement, followed by nine-months of weight loss maintenance support.
The findings indicated that the DiRECT intervention was effective for and acceptable to study participants. After three months, participants in both groups had lost weight, but the DiRECT group lost over 6kg more on average than those in the usual care group. DiRECT participants also improved their blood sugar control and had lower blood pressure levels and medication use than the usual care group. By 12 months, the difference in weight loss had reduced to 3.8kg, but this was due to the usual care group continuing to lose weight rather than weight gain in the DiRECT group. This study received funding from the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge.
Learn more about the DiRECT study
IBDlife Study
The IBD Lifestyle Food and Exercise (IBDLiFE) study aimed to improve nutritional status and body composition through 6 months of nutrition and exercise education for adults with inflammatory bowel disease. This randomised controlled trial looked at how usual care versus more intensive dietetic input could improve these outcomes. Dietary intake, health markers and body composition were measured at baseline, and after 12 months.
The results of the study showed that the participants in the personalised dietetic intervention had increased fruit and fibre intake, as well as reduced discretionary food intake. They also appeared to consumed less salt (sodium) than the group receiving the usual care. There was no difference in body composition.
Learn more about the IBDlife Study
MInT: Motivational interviewing in treatment
The MInT Study was a randomised controlled trial that aimed to understand whether motivational interviewing was an effective strategy to improve weight outcomes in young children, compared to usual care. The team also explored the acceptability of motivational interviewing as a technique to talk about child weight with parents.
The results of the study suggested that there was no additional benefit of using motivational interviewing compared to usual care for uptake of the intervention. However, the study showed that a traffic light system is an effective way of explaining children's weight to parents of children with obesity.