Research Centre: HMRI (Hunter Medical Research Institute)
Location: HMRI Building, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights NSW 2305
Lead Researcher: Dr Hayley Scott
HREC: This study has been reviewed and approved by Hunter New England Research Ethics Committee 2023/ETH00833

Imagine a program built just for you – one that fits your lifestyle, your schedule, and your goals. This 16-week personalised diet and physical activity study is designed to help people with asthma explore how tailored lifestyle changes might improve symptoms, lung function, and overall health. Allied health professionals will work with you to create a program that suits your daily life, including guidance on diet, exercise, and practical support like food boxes and FitBits.

Whether you are randomised to join the intervention group or the control group, your participation will help researchers understand the impact of personalised health programs on asthma. You’ll take part in in-person visits in the Newcastle area, gain valuable insights into your health, and contribute to shaping the future of asthma care in Australia, all while exploring strategies designed specifically for you. Sign up today and see if you are eligible!

For more details about the study, you can read through the Information Sheet here!

• All participants will be asked to attend three study visits: Visit 1 (Week 0), Visit 2 (Week 16), and Visit 3 (Week 52). After Visit 1, participants will be randomly allocated to either the IDEAL (intervention) group or the control group
  • IDEAL group (16-week nutrition and physical activity program): Participants will take part in 5 sessions with a dietitian and physiotherapist/exercise physiologist, and will receive practical tools such as food boxes, FitBits, and exercise equipment as needed.
  • Control group: Participants will receive a 90-minute session with a dietitian and physiotherapist/exercise physiologist after Visit 3 (Week 52) and a FitBit.
• Participants are provided with free parking at HMRI. There are designated spaces for Trial Participants.
• Participants may notice changes in their asthma symptoms, lung function, or overall well-being as they try out lifestyle strategies designed specifically for them.
• Participants will be contributing valuable information that may help improve asthma care for others in the future.
• Participants will be helping to advance medical research into how personalised lifestyle programs may support people living with asthma.

• You will receive a detailed outline of all details of the study, including treatment, risks, and procedures, and you will be given the chance to ask study staff questions before you decide whether to participate.
• If you decide to participate in the study and later feel that you no longer wish to be part of it, you can withdraw at any time
• Your records relating to this study and any other information received will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by law.

Who Can Participate:

• Must be 18 years old or older and be living with a BMI of ≥27 kg/m² and/or waist circumference ≥88 cm for women or ≥102 cm for men.
• Must have physician-diagnosed asthma as the primary respiratory condition.
• Must be using asthma therapy at least twice per week.
• Must have uncontrolled asthma, defined as an Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score ≥1.5, and/or using a rescue inhaler more than twice per week for the past month, and/or having one or more nocturnal asthma awakenings per week in the prior month.

Who Cannot Participate:

• Must not have a primary respiratory condition other than asthma.
• Must not be a current smoker or have smoked in the past 6 months.
• Must not have serious medical conditions (e.g., unstable angina, uncontrolled metabolic disease, stroke, renal failure, hepatic failure, heart failure, HIV, or terminal illness).
• Must not have insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
• Must not have had weight loss surgery.

The study team will explain the research in its entirety, but some details include:

• Complete a telephone screening and attend an in-person screening visit, including signing consent, providing medical history, completing questionnaires, giving blood samples, undergoing breathing and lung function tests, and having basic measurements taken (height, weight, blood pressure).
• Attend the main study visits, where additional procedures will take place, including body composition assessment, fitness tests, handgrip strength, stool and nasal samples, accelerometer wear, food diaries, and regular symptom questionnaires.
• Participate in either the IDEAL dietary and physical activity program or the control group, which may include personalised sessions, follow-up visits, wearing a Fitbit, and receiving delivered food items if assigned to the intervention group.

The HMRI (Hunter Medical Research Institute)
Established in 1998, the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) is a leading research organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes for the community. HMRI is a collaborative partnership between the University of Newcastle, Australia, Hunter New England Local Health District, and the local community. The institute conducts innovative research across a range of health areas, aiming to translate discoveries into practical solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.