Lessons Learned from the Diabetes Prevention Program: Using Distance Learning Modality During the Pandemic

Background: /Objectives: At our institution, we implemented the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) lifestyle change diabetes prevention program using the in-person modality. However, the recent pandemic compelled us to move our diabetes prevention program from an in-person to a distance learning modality. We evaluated and compared participant outcomes between these two modalities. Methods: Participants reported weight in pounds and physical activity in minutes in each session as primary outcomes to their lifestyle coaches. Outcomes were coded according to the goals of the diabetes prevention program as depicted by the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program Standard for Operating Procedures: (i) weight loss ≥5.0% of the starting weight and (ii) Physical activity ≥150 minutes. Paired sample t-test was performed to examine the association between modality and outcome. Results: A total of 115 participants completed the diabetes prevention program from May 2018 to April 2023 (53 in-person and 62 distance learning). On average, they lost 11 lbs and increased their physical activity by 186 minutes. There was no difference in outcomes between the two modalities (p>0.6 each). Weight loss was more observed among whites in the in-person class (coeff. = 0.04, p