Researchers at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute Active Living Program are looking for men and women with type 2 diabetes to participate in 8 weeks of FREE group telehealth exercise sessions, supervised by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
Participants will undergo testing of their health and fitness before and after the intervention.
Why is the research being done?
In Australia, Medicare subsidises eight group exercise classes annually for people with type 2 diabetes.
However, barriers such as lack of access to transport and living in rural and remote areas can preclude people from participating in face-to-face sessions.
Telehealth may be an alternative approach to overcome these barriers. Therefore, this project aims to examine the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of group telehealth-delivered exercise interventions in people with type 2 diabetes.
Who can participate in the research study/trial?
People with type 2 diabetes over the age of 18 years with a HbA1c over 7% and access to an electronic device with a camera (e.g., a computer, tablet, or laptop).
What will study participants be asked to do? What does the study involve?
The total duration of the study will be 10 weeks. This includes:
- 2 baseline assessment visits in week 1
- 8 weeks of supervised telehealth-delivered exercise in weeks 2-9
- A final assessment visit in week 10
At the beginning of the study, you will be required to attend the University of Newcastle for a baseline assessment (approximately 90 minutes).
The assessments will include:
- Body composition
- Blood sugar & cholesterol
- Blood pressure
- Functional fitness and strength
- 2 brief surveys
Within 72 hours of this visit, you will be asked to complete a number of these assessments yourself in your home, while being supervised by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist via Telehealth. You will be given all the necessary equipment to do this.
You will then participate in once weekly group-based telehealth exercise sessions, under the supervision of an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, for eight weeks.
Your group will include up to four other like-minded people with type 2 diabetes (five participants total). This will occur via Zoom, a free audio-visual communication platform.
Each session will be one hour (45 minutes will be dedicated to exercise, and 15 minutes dedicated to education).
The exercise program will include both cardio and strength-based exercise and will be tailored to your needs and preferences. The education component of these sessions will cover such topics as guidelines for exercising with type 2 diabetes, goal setting, and behaviour change.
At the end of the training period, you will attend the University of Newcastle for a final assessment (approximately 90 minutes), which will involve the same assessments as the baseline assessment.
You will also be asked to participate in a short interview (approximately 10 minutes) to discuss your experiences in the program.
Interested in participating?
First, please read the Participant Information Sheet.
You can register your interest by clicking the button below.
Alternatively, you can contact Dr Emily Cox for further information.
- Email: emily.cox10@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone: (02) 4985 4515