Modifying Alcohol Consumption to Reduce Obesity (MACRO): development and feasibility trial of a complex community-based intervention for men

This feasibility study was commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme. The remit was to develop an intervention to reduce alcohol consumption in obese men and to assess the feasibility of a trial investigating the effectiveness of an intervention. The intervention used the motivation of weight loss to promote moderated drinking. The commissioning brief is included at the end of the report (see Appendix 1). This chapter provides the scientific background and the aims and objectives of the study, and gives an overview of the study methods. It also outlines the structure of the report, as well as detailing ethics approval and modifications to the protocol.