PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of a pedometer-based telephone lifestyle coaching intervention on weight and physical activity. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 313 patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation in rural and urban Australia. Participants were allocated to a healthy weight (HW) (4 telephone coaching sessions on weight and physical activity) or a physical activity (PA) intervention (2 telephone coaching sessions on physical activity). Weight and physical activity were assessed by self-report at baseline, short-term (6 to 8 weeks), and medium-term (6 to 8 months). RESULTS: More than 90% of participants completed the trial. Over the medium-term, participants in the HW group decreased their weight compared with participants in the PA group (p = 0.005). Participants in the HW group with a body mass index of > 25 kg/m had a mean weight loss of 1.6 kg compared with participants in the PA-only group who lost a mean of 0.4 kg (p = 0.015). Short-term, both groups increased their physical activity time, and the PA group maintained this increase at the medium-term. CONCLUSIONS: Participants in the HW group achieved modest improvements in weight, and those in the PA group demonstrated increased physical activity. Low-contact, telephone-based interventions are a feasible means of delivering lifestyle interventions for underserved rural communities, for those not attending cardiac rehabilitation, or as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation.
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