Worksite intervention study to prevent diabetes in Nepal: a randomised trial protocol

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Occupational Health
• Diabetes Prevention

Background:

• High prevalence of diabetes (31%) among adult industrial employees in Nepal.
• Workplaces offer a viable setting for diabetes prevention interventions due to long working hours.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral and canteen interventions for reducing diabetes risk.
• To target prediabetic factory workers in eastern Nepal.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial with 162 prediabetic factory workers.
• Interventions included a behavioral component and a canteen-based approach.
• Measured changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) over 8-14 months.

Main Results:

• The study design allows for assessment of intervention effectiveness.
• Analysis will compare HbA1c changes between intervention and control groups.
• Paired t-tests will assess within-participant changes.

Conclusions:

• Worksite interventions can be effective for diabetes risk reduction.
• Behavioral and canteen strategies hold potential for preventing type 2 diabetes in industrial workers.
• Further research is warranted to confirm findings.