Social Network Lifestyle Interventions Reduce Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors in Financial Sector Employees: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

To determine if scientifically based social network (Facebook) lifestyle interventions reduce 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Financial sector employees (n = 300) were equally randomly assigned: Facebook plus Health Professionals (FB+HP), Facebook (FB), or control (C). We report changes in 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) for CVD (%) and risk factors over 12 months. FRS did not change within and between groups. Overweight (-7.4% vs -5.6%, P  = 0.005) and diabetes risk (-10.7% vs 0.2%, P  = 0.011) reduced significantly in FB+HP versus FB and C, respectively. Inadequate fruit/vegetable intake (-9.4% vs 3.6%, P  = 0.011) and smoking (-0.7% vs 14.9%) reduced significantly in FB versus C. No significant changes in physical activity, central obesity, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia between groups. Scientifically based social network lifestyle intervention programs could be included in workplace health promotional programmes to improve certain non-communicable disease risk factors.