Reduction of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk in a Workforce after Digital Behavioral Counseling

Background: We asked whether the integration of digital behavioral counseling with employer-sponsored annual biometric screening could reduce the risk of obesity-related chronic disease in a U.S. workforce. Methods: We evaluated a cohort (n=113) who participated in an employer-sponsored annual wellness program with year-end biometric screening and enrolled in a digital behavioral counseling program. Individuals were included in the analysis if they participated in the wellness program in 2015, had prediabetes (fasting glucose (FG) 100 to 125mg/dL or Hb1Ac 5.7 to 6.4%) and a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 in 2016, and agreed to participate in a digital behavioral counseling program followed by year-end biometric screening in 2017. Results: The participants were 75% women and 61% Caucasian, 28% African American. At the 2016 year-end biometric screening, which preceded digital behavioral counseling, the characteristics of the cohort (mean± sd) were age, 50.0±9.9 years; BMI, 37.1±8.6 kg/m2; Hb1Ac, 6.1±0.6%; and FG, 106.9±24.2 mg/dL. Following behavioral counseling, 28% of the participants lost 5% or more of body weight. Hb1Ac and FG levels both fell below prediabetic thresholds for 32% of the participants. Other biometric outcome measures improved (Table). Conclusions: Digital behavioral counseling was effective in reducing risk for both diabetes and cardiovascular disease in a workforce cohort.Change in annual biometric screening resultsThe year preceding counseling (2015 to 2016)The year counseling received (2016 to 2017)P value (paired t-Test)BMI (kg/m2)+0.66-1.18