Despite the availability of medications, many people around the world continue to live with long-term health problems like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In Canada, heart disease is a leading cause of death. Managing these health issues can be done by paying attention to diet and lifestyle. Specific ways of eating have been proven to improve risk for heart disease and stroke. However, because doctors often have limited time, inadequate education, and a lack of tools for counseling patients on nutrition, they can often only provide minimal support to help patients make necessary lifestyle changes. Mobile applications offer an opportunity to involve doctors and patients in delivering nutrition interventions. This study aims to address that gap by testing whether a digital health app can support individuals in making healthier lifestyle choices.
Participants in this study will be adults who are at higher risk of heart disease, including those who already have cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. The study will include 1,100 participants. The study will initially focus on the first year of participation as a randomized controlled trial. Depending on the results, the intervention phase may continue for up to seven years; after this period, the study will transition into a cohort observational phase.
The two possible interventions are a digital heart health app plus standard of care and standard of care alone. Standard of care is considered the best practice based on guidelines for the treatment of a condition. This means that you will be randomized (determined by chance) to participate, or not, in the add-on intervention for the duration of the study.
Throughout the study, we will ask the participants to complete a series of questionnaires online, diet record online, and blood work at various timepoints.
Overall, this study aims to determine whether a digital app can be an effective and practical tool to help people manage their heart health. The findings may help improve how healthcare providers support patients in making lasting lifestyle changes and could lead to more accessible and cost-effective approaches to preventing and managing heart disease.
