Food intake restriction for health outcome support and education (Firehouse) protocol: A randomized clinical trial

Fire Department of New York (FDNY) rescue and recovery workers exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) particulates suffered loss of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁). Metabolic Syndrome increased the risk of developing WTC-lung injury (WTC-LI)_. We aim to attenuate the deleterious effects of WTC exposure through a dietary intervention targeting these clinically relevant disease modifiers. We hypothesize that a calorie-restricted Mediterranean dietary intervention will improve metabolic risk, subclinical indicators of cardiopulmonary disease, quality of life, and lung function in firefighters with WTC-LI. To assess our hypothesis, we developed the Food Intake REstriction for Health OUtcome Support and Education (FIREHOUSE), a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). Male firefighters with WTC-LI and a BMI > 27 kg/m² will be included. We will randomize subjects (1:1) to either: (1) Low Calorie Mediterranean (LoCalMed)—an integrative multifactorial, technology-supported approach focused on behavioral modification, nutritional education that will include a self-monitored diet with feedback, physical activity recommendations, and social cognitive theory-based group counseling sessions; or (2) Usual Care. Outcomes include reduction in body mass index (BMI) (primary), improvement in FEV₁, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, pulse wave velocity, lipid profiles, targeted metabolic/clinical biomarkers, and quality of life measures (secondary). By implementing a technology-supported LoCalMed diet our FIREHOUSE RCT may help further the treatment of WTC associated pulmonary disease.