Overview
The aim of this pilot study is to assess whether an online Mediterranean diet programme called MediPD is acceptable and practical for people living with Parkinson's disease, and whether it can help them make and maintain changes towards a Mediterranean-style diet.
The study will include 120 adults living in the United Kingdom with Parkinson's disease who have access to an internet-enabled device and currently have low adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive access to the MediPD online programme, which includes short educational videos, personalised dietary information, practical resources, goal-setting tools, and online dietetic support. The other group will continue with their usual care and will receive access to MediPD after completing the final study assessment.
Researchers will compare the groups to see whether MediPD improves adherence to a Mediterranean diet after 24 weeks. The study will also examine dietary intake, non-motor symptoms, quality of life, gastrointestinal symptoms, cognitive function, and how acceptable and practical the programme is to use. Assessments will take place at the start of the study, at 12 weeks, and at 24 weeks.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Self-reported idiopathic Parkinson's disease
- Age 18 years or older
- Community-dwelling and resident in the United Kingdom
- Access to an internet-enabled device and an active email address
- Mediterranean Diet Score ≤7/13, indicating low adherence to a Mediterranean diet
- Proficient in English
- Able to provide informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Atypical or secondary parkinsonism
- Living in an institution
- Self-reported body mass index \<18.5 kg/m²
- High risk of malnutrition, defined as MUST score ≥2
- Receiving prescribed nutritional support
- Significant cognitive impairment, defined as T-CogS ≤21
- Pregnancy
- Active inflammatory bowel disease
- Dysphagia requiring a pureed diet
- Food allergies that would prevent adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet
- Following a vegan diet that would prevent adherence to the study's Mediterranean-style dietary intervention.
- Current participation in another interventional trial
- Participation in an investigational medicinal product trial within the previous 90 days where this may affect study outcomes or participant burden
- Previous participation in a My Moves Matter dietary programme.
