Opportunity 

Nearly 30 million people in the United States have diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, including increasing physical activity and losing weight, can improve glycemic control. However, most patients struggle to make these changes. 

Intervention 

We designed a program to explore if gamification could enhance social incentives to promote physical activity and weight loss. Our one-year clinical trial enrolled approximately 360 obese adults with type 2 diabetes and high hemoglobin A1c. Way to Health was used to administer and manage the program.    

Participants received a wearable device and wireless weight scale and were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three gamification arms.  

Participants in the control group received feedback from their devices but no other intervention. Participants in the gamification arms conducted goal setting and were introduced into a game that used points and levels to encourage them to achieve step goals and meet weight loss targets. The game varied by trial arm to promote either support, collaboration, or competition. 

Impact 

Significant increases in physical activity were observed and sustained for one year when gamification was designed to enhance competition or support but not collaboration. However, there were no significant changes in weight or hemoglobin A1c for any of the interventions relative to the control.