Grant: Team Grant: UK-Canada Diabetes Research Team Grants

Being physically active is really important for managing type 2 diabetes, but many people with type 2 diabetes find it hard to stick to an exercise program. Research is needed to try to find better ways to help people maintain a physically active life. The objective of this project is to examine how mobile technology can help men and women with type 2 diabetes exercise and maintain a physically active lifestyle. How will we do this? We will run an experiment with men and women with type 2 diabetes in Canada and the UK where we ask them to use mobile devices that monitor how active they are and the effect exercise has on their heart. Importantly we will see whether this information about the body motivates people to stick to their exercise plan and helps to manage their diabetes. What is unique about this project? Other people have looked at whether exercise helps manage diabetes, but usually the exercise is not continued long-term. Our project is trying to find a way to help those with type 2 diabetes continue to exercise. How will the outcomes of this project improve the health of people with diabetes? Most people use some form of mobile technology. Finding out whether we can use mobile technology to help maintain long-term increases in exercise in people with type 2 diabetes, and whether this leads to better management of diabetes, will help us to develop better ways of improving the health of those with type 2 diabetes.