Tailored video-based lifestyle intervention for overweight or obese adults in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial

Physical activity plays a crucial role in preventing and managing obesity and its related comorbidities, with minimal side effects. Similarly, consuming a balanced diet is essential for maintaining good health and adequate nutrition. However, most adults fail to meet population-based dietary and physical activity guidelines. In this pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a video-based physical activity and dietary intervention among adults aged 30-59 years in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A total of 63 adults participated in the 12-week program, with 31 assigned to the intervention group and 32 to the control group. The intervention group received a video-based program delivered via Telegram and YouTube, complemented by a 2-hour in-person session focusing on technical orientation and safety training. Standard care was provided to both the intervention and control groups and consisted of a single 60-minute in-person lifestyle education session and a printed booklet commonly used in Cambodian health center settings. The intervention group demonstrated greater improvements in physical activity adherence, healthy eating adherence, exercise self-efficacy, healthy eating self-efficacy, systolic blood pressure, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Given its high accessibility and ease of implementation, video-based content appears to be an effective approach and policy for improving health behaviours, even in resource-limited settings. These findings support the use of video and digital platforms as potential strategies and evidence-based policy for preventing and managing non-communicable diseases in low-resource settings.