European journal of preventive cardiology, 9 2 2025, Pages zwaf193 Lifestyle behaviour change of patients following cardiac rehabilitation: the BENEFIT intervention study with one-year follow-up. Breeman LD, Janssen VR, Kraaijenhagen RA, Al-Dhahir I, IJzerman RVH, Wolstencroft K, Kraaij W, Bonten TN, Atsma DE, Chavannes NH, van Gemert-Pijnen L, Kemps HMC, Scholte Op Reimer W, Evers AWM
Background
The majority of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) do not maintain a healthy lifestyle. To help patients implement behaviour change at home, the BENEFIT programme was developed as an addition to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) care.
Methods
Using a cluster non-randomised controlled trial design involving 7 CR centres, we examined whether intervention group patients (n=587) showed increased improvements in health behaviour change compared to control group patients (n=298) who (only) received a multidisciplinary, comprehensive CR programme. Physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, diet, stress and sleep were assessed at the start and after finishing CR (short-term) and at one-year follow-up (long-term). Core of the intervention was access to an advanced eHealth platform consisting of functionality for daily goal monitoring, access to lifestyle interventions, personal coaching and a reward programme.
Findings
The standard CR programme improved most lifestyle behaviours, while the intervention led to additional short-term changes in vegetable intake (t= 2.00, p=.023), work-related stress (z= -2.97, p=.002), and sleep hours (t= 2.57, p=.005). Finally, in contrast to the control group (t= 1.88, p=.415), the intervention group significantly increased its physical activity long-term (t= 5.04, p<.001) exercising 42 minutes more per week, yet this group-interaction effect showed only a trend (t=1.55, p=.061).
Conclusions
While comprehensive CR care led to improvements in most lifestyle behaviours, the BENEFIT programme demonstrated additional benefits, particularly in physical exercise, dietary habits, stress reduction, and sleep, across a diverse CR-patient population. These findings underscore the potential of integrating eHealth solutions as an effective supplement to traditional CR care.
