Storytelling videos on how other people control their diabetes are linked to a “modest improvement” in blood sugar control after three months in adults with Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study conducted by Mayo Clinic researchers. The study included 451 Hispanic adults. Participants watched four 12-minute Spanish-language videos promoting a healthy diet, physical activity, glucose self-monitoring, and medication compliance.
The videos showcased people with diabetes who had embraced healthy lifestyles. The subjects were selected due to their poorly controlled diabetes. The mean age of the participants was about 54 years.
The study authors said previous research showed improved outcomes mainly within a white population, but adaptation of methods when interventions were applied to Hispanic populations was not considered. The primary outcome was measured by a standard hemoglobin test, which reveals the average blood sugar level for the past two or three months. Other tests included blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI).
Participants were also evaluated on their self-management of diabetes and related behaviors. An earlier study in Australia involving about 600 people with type 2 diabetes found that their confidence and habits improved after four weeks. The researchers acknowledged that this study was limited because of its short-term follow-up on a long-term disease.
However, they concluded that it resulted in a “potentially modest improvement in glyc.