Efficacy of a Short-Term Lifestyle Change Intervention in Healthy Young Men: The FASt Randomized Controlled Trial

Francesco Donato, Elisabetta Ceretti (), Gaia Claudia Viviana Viola, Monica Marullo, Danilo Zani, Stefania Ubaldi, Sabina Sieri, Stefano Lorenzetti and Luigi Montano
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Francesco Donato: Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Elisabetta Ceretti: Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Gaia Claudia Viviana Viola: Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Monica Marullo: Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Danilo Zani: Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Stefania Ubaldi: European Lifestyle Medicine Organization (ELMO), 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Sabina Sieri: Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, National Institute for Cancer, 20133 Milan, Italy
Stefano Lorenzetti: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
Luigi Montano: Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (EcoFoodFertility Project), Oliveto Citra Hospital, 84124 Salerno, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dietary habits and physical activity intervention on lifestyle behavior as a prevention tool supported also by personalized motivational counseling. A two-arm randomized controlled trial was carried out. A sample of 18–22-year-old students was randomly assigned to a four-month intervention based on the Mediterranean diet and moderate physical activity program (N = 66) or to a control group (N = 63). The outcomes were adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity level, and nutrients intake, assessed at enrollment (t0), end of intervention (t4, 4 months after the start), and end of follow-up (t8, 8 months after the start). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased from t0 to t4 and t8, more in the intervention (6.83, 9.85, and 9.12, respectively) than in the control group (6.73, 7.00, 7.69, respectively) ( p < 0.001). Physical activity showed a moderate increase from t0 to t4 and t8 in both groups, without significant differences between them. Significant differences were seen between the two groups in food intake changes, from t0 to t4 and t8. This randomized controlled trial showed that a moderate short-term intervention based on the Mediterranean diet and regular physical activity determined a positive change in the lifestyle of healthy, normal-weight, young men.

Keywords: adolescence; dietary habits; lifestyle intervention; Mediterranean diet; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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