Fresh Data on Type 2 Diabetes: Participation in Behavioral e-Health Lifestyle Interventions in Denmark

Research at the University of Southern Denmark has shed light on the complexities of type 2 diabetes self-management, particularly when it comes to behavioral lifestyle interventions. A new report highlights the challenges individuals with type 2 diabetes face when participating in personalized e-health behavioral lifestyle interventions. The study, conducted in a general practitioner setting, aimed to examine the characteristics of individuals with T2D who were willing or unwilling to participate in and adhere to such an intervention.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that only 31.7% of eligible individuals with T2D agreed to participate in the behavioral e-health lifestyle intervention, indicating a modest willingness to participate.
• Those who were willing to participate and completed the intervention were predominantly men, with a median age of 57 years, and had a longer duration of diabetes, higher fasting glucose levels, and better mental health compared to those who dropped out.
• The study's findings underscore the need for personalized strategies to improve participation and adherence in e-health lifestyle interventions for individuals with T2D.
• A total of 13 out of 20 individuals who were willing to participate completed the intervention, demonstrating more consistent app usage and higher mental component scores compared to those who dropped out.
• The study's results have significant implications for the development of targeted interventions to improve participation and adherence in e-health lifestyle interventions for individuals with T2D.

Statistics:

• 31.7% of eligible individuals with T2D agreed to participate in the behavioral e-health lifestyle intervention.
• 75% of those who were willing to participate were men.
• The median age of those who were willing to participate was 57 years.
• Those who were willing to participate had a longer duration of diabetes, with a median of 6.6 years, compared to 5.5 years for those who were not willing to participate.
• The median fasting glucose levels for those who were willing to participate were 8.5 mmol/L, compared to 7.9 mmol/L for those who were not willing to participate.
• The mental component scores for those who were willing to participate and completed the intervention were 47.4 (40.6; 50.5), compared to 31.5 (31.5; 45.8) for those who dropped out.

Sources:

• Participatoion of individuals with type 2 diabetes in a behavioural e-health lifestyle intervention in Denmark: A feasibility study. Diabetes Epidemiology and Management, 2025,19():100285.
• NewsRx. University of Southern Denmark Researchers Describe Findings in Type 2 Diabetes (Participation of individuals with type 2 diabetes in a behavioural e-health lifestyle intervention in Denmark: A feasibility study). Mental Health Weekly Digest. October 20, 2025; p 743.