Web-based interventions helping people with type 2 diabetes become regularly active: importance of online peer-support versus personalized delivery of content.
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN15747108 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15747108 |
| Protocol serial number | FRQS-22855 (Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec) |
| Sponsors | Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRQS), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé |
| Funders | Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRQS), Diabetes Québec (Diabète Québec) |
- Submission date
- 25/03/2015
- Registration date
- 16/04/2015
- Last edited
- 15/02/2016
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. Insulin is the hormone made by beta-cells in the pancreas and controls the amount of glucose in the blood. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin for it to work properly or the body cells do not react properly to insulin (insulin resistance). A person is more likely to develop diabetes if they are overweight, do not do a lot of exercise, eat an unhealthy diet or are an older person. Type 2 diabetes is a major challenge for Canadian public health authorities and regular physical activity is very important in the management of this disease. Given that less than half of people with type 2 diabetes in Canada are sufficiently active to meet the recommendations, programs that help them to become active on a regular basis are in demand. Many researchers have argued that web-based interventions (programs) can help people to practice more physical activities and they are a promising avenue in the public health domain. However, it remains unclear if this type of intervention works for people with type 2 diabetes. This study will test two internet-based interventions designed to help people with type 2 diabetes to do regular physical activities. One of these two interventions will provide personalized content related to physical activity for its users. On the other hand, the second intervention will provide non-personalized content related to physical activity to its users, but will be combined with a Facebook group moderated by a clinical nurse who will help users with their journey toward being more regularly active. In summary, the study aims to measure how well both of these interventions work and thus compare them to identify which one works best.
Who can participate?
French speaking Canadian men and women with type 2 diabetes.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of three groups. Those in group 1 are given access to a fully-automated, computer-tailored, web-based program for eight weeks. Those in group 2 are given access to a Facebook-assisted web-based program for eight weeks. Those in group 3 are in the control group and are not given access to any intervention. All three groups are given questionnaires at the start of the study, 3 months after the study begins and then 9 months later. Once the last follow-up has been completed, those participants in the control group are given access to the intervention has been proven to work best by the study.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Not provided at time of registration.
Where is the study run from?
Diabetes Québec (Diabète Québec) (Canada)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2013 to June 2015
Who is funding the study?
1. Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRQS) (Canada)
2. Diabetes Québec (Diabète Québec) (Canada)
Who is the main contact?
Professor François Boudreau
Francois.Boudreau@uqtr.ca
Contact information
Scientific
3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500
Trois-Rivières
G9A 5H7
Canada
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-8976-5362 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +1 (0)819 376 5011, #3465 |
| Francois.Boudreau@uqtr.ca |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Double-blinded three-arm parallel and non-inferiority randomized controlled trial |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Effectiveness of a fully-automated, computer-tailored, web-based intervention and a Facebook-assisted, generic, web-based intervention promoting regular physical activity among insufficiently active adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Study acronym | DEF (Diabète en Forme) |
| Study objectives | 1. Our first hypothesis is that the fully-automated, computer-tailored, Web-based intervention and the Facebook-assisted, generic, Web-based intervention will be more effective at increasing aerobic PA compared to a control group receiving no intervention. 2. Our second hypothesis is that the fully-automated, computer-tailored intervention will result in greater aerobic PA increase compared to the Facebook-assisted, generic intervention. |
| Ethics approval(s) | 1. Ethics Committee of Research with Humans (CEREH) from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 30/06/2011, ref: CER-11-169-06.08 2. Ethics Committee of Research with Humans (CEREH) from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 20/09/2013, ref: CER-13-194-08.03.04 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Type 2 diabetes |
| Intervention | Intervention 1: Fully-automated, computer-tailored, web-based intervention Intervention 2: Facebook-assisted, generic, web-based intervention Control group: Participants do not participate in any intervention, not even a more general one, for the duration of the study The duration of the interventions is 8 weeks. All three study groups are invited to complete baseline, 3-month and 9-month follow-up questionnaires during the same time period. Following the last follow-up questionnaire, participants from the control group will be offered the intervention that had the best effectiveness of the two interventions evaluated in this study. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Physical activity levels will be evaluated from an adapted version of the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). To explain, the measures will be self-reported via the intervention websites, where participants will indicate: |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Items related to intention, attitude, self-efficacy, social influence and type of motivation will be assessed. Data collected from these items will again be self-reported, as participants will provide their answers during baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 9-month follow-up assessments directly on the interventions’ Websites. |
| Completion date | 31/10/2015 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 204 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. The target population for this research project are Canadian men and women with type 2 diabetes 2. Patients not meeting the Canadian Diabetes Association guidelines related to aerobic PA 3. Being able to understand French 4. Being able to navigate on the Internet 5. Being between 18 and 65 years of age 6. Not having medical indications limiting the practice of PA Investigators will be able to judge if inclusion criteria are satisfied with a self-reported questionnaire administered to potential participants via the interventions’ websites, during the study registration process. |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Not being a member of the Diabète Québec newsletter. 2. Not being between 18 and 65 years of age. |
| Date of first enrolment | 15/09/2014 |
| Date of final enrolment | 28/09/2014 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Canada
Study participating centre
Montréal
H1Z4G2
Canada
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not expected to be made available |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol article | protocol | 11/02/2016 | Yes | No | |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
| Study website | Study website | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
15/02/2016: Publication reference added.
On 17/08/2015 the overall trial end date was changed from 01/06/2015 to 31/10/2015.
