HeLP Stop Diabetes - A Digital Diabetes Prevention Project | Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care - UCL

Five million adults in England are thought to be at high risk of developing diabetes. Several studies have shown that even small changes to diet and physical activity can significantly reduce the chance that these individuals will go on to develop diabetes. Face-to-face, group lifestyle programmes that aim to improve diet and increase exercise are being rolled out by the NHS. However, there is increasing evidence that digital - or online - programmes are also effective at tackling these behaviours, and could be a cost-effective and convenient alternative.This new project aims to develop and evaluate a digital health intervention targeting physical activity and dietary behaviour in people at risk of developing diabetes.

Views on, and Preferences for, a digital diabetes prevention project (DDPP)

The first part of the project is a qualitative study. This will look at needs and preferences among two groups:

1) individuals at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

2) healthcare professionals

We will be running focus groups and individual interviews covering a number of areas including: awareness of lifestyles that may predispose to Type 2 diabetes; perceived barriers to, and facilitators of, weight loss, increasing physical activity and eating a healthy diet; and preferences for an 'ideal' digital tool. We will also ask healthcare professionals about current practice, views on digital health interventions, and perceived barriers and facilitators for integrating a DDPP into routine primary care.

This project has received funding from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) and has received full Health Research Authority Approval.

Information leaflets for patient participants can be found below.

Participant Information Sheet

Contact details:

Elizabeth Murray - Project Lead

Marie-Laure Morelli - Research Lead

email: info-helpstopdiabetes@ucl.ac.uk

HeLP Stop Diabetes - A Digital Diabetes Prevention Project

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