Effects of a culturally tailored low-glycaemic index dietary educational intervention on reducing cardiometabolic risk among Chinese adults with obesity: a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS:An assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effect of a culturally tailored low-glycaemic index (GI) dietary educational intervention on body mass index and cardiometabolic risks for Chinese people with obesity in Hong Kong. METHODS AND RESULTS:A total of 166 Chinese adults in Hong Kong with obesity were randomised to the intervention group (n=83) or the control group (n=83). The intervention group received the culturally sensitive low-GI dietary educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model, consisting of an educational booklet, one individual interactive educational session, and three follow-up telephone calls. The control group received general advice on a healthy diet, including a pamphlet, one individual education session, and three follow-up telephone calls. Outcome measures included body mass index, cardiometabolic risk-factors, dietary intake variables and sense of satiety. Data collection was conducted at baseline and post-intervention at 12-week. Generalized estimating equation model was used to compare the difference in changes in outcome variables between groups. Compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited a significant reduction in dietary glycaemic load (β=-6.963, p=0.026) at post intervention. No significant effects were found on other outcomes. CONCLUSION:A 12-week culturally tailored and Health Belief Model-based low-GI dietary educational intervention significantly reduced the dietary glycaemic load and showed the feasibility of the low-GI dietary intervention in Chinese adults in Hong Kong with obesity. A longer intervention period and follow-up might be required to achieve improvements in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors in people with obesity. REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04152213.