Lifestyle Intervention Guided by Group and Internet-Based Counseling in the T2D-GENE Trial Supports Its Applicability and Feasibility

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) can be prevented or postponed by lifestyle modifications as shown by previous intervention studies. In most of these studies, participants have received resource-demanding individual counseling. In the 3-year T2D-GENE trial with lifestyle intervention, we investigated whether a less resource-demanding form of group and internet-based counseling is feasible and effective in preventing T2D in people with an increased risk for T2D. Altogether, 628 middle-aged to elderly men either with a high number or low number of T2D risk alleles were recruited. Five to seven group sessions were organized during the intervention, in addition to information and activities delivered via the web portal, and weekly monitoring of body weight and physical activity. Four-day food records with personal feedback were documented five times during the study. Of the 549 participants completing the study, over 90% participated in the group sessions and kept the food records. The four self-feedback tasks delivered during the second and the third years of the study were completed by 80–89% of the participants. In conclusion, a group and web portal-based lifestyle intervention is applicable for middle-aged to elderly men as a lifestyle modification aiming to prevent T2D.