Preventing Diabetes in the Workplace: Effects of Coaching and Monetary Incentives

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Metabolic Health
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Workplace diabetes prevention programs require further evaluation.
• The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has shown success but needs adaptation for corporate settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of health coaching and monetary incentives on glycemic control within a workplace wellness program.
• To evaluate the 5-year incidence of diabetes and prediabetes prevalence in response to these interventions.

Main Methods:

• Glycemic control was measured using glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).
• Wellness program participants (WPP) were divided into two groups: with (Group A) and without (Group B) health coaching and incentives.
• The study tracked diabetes incidence and prediabetes prevalence over five years.

Main Results:

• Group A WPP showed a significant decrease in HbA1c (P=0.04) and a reduction in prediabetes.
• Incident diabetes in Group A was substantially lower than expected (24 vs 74, P<0.001).
• Group B WPP experienced an increase in HbA1c (P<0.001) and a rise in prediabetes from 28% to 36% (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Health coaching and monetary incentives effectively improved glycemic control in WPP over five years.
• These interventions were associated with a significant reduction in diabetes incidence and prediabetes.
• The positive effects on glycemic control were not observed in participants without these specific program components.