Do Distance-Learning National Diabetes Prevention Program Participants Have Similar Biometric Outcomes Compared with In-Person Participants?

Introduction and Objective: In Montana, the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) is available either in-person or via distance learning (DL) delivery. This study compares these modalities to measure differences in enrollment, retention, physical activity, weight, and biometric values (blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, triglycerides, and cholesterol). Methods: Participant data were collected in Montana’s Prevention Access Web-based System, including intake interviews and metrics, biometrics for months six and twelve, and session data up to 30 sessions. To ensure data comparability between cohorts, observed sessions were capped at 22, the minimum required sessions. Analysis was limited to participants whose first session occurred between January 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024, and includes session data up to December 31, 2024. Participants presented met all eligibility requirements for the NDPP. Participants with make-up sessions outside their regular modality were excluded from analysis. Results: There were 1,127 in-person and 161 DL participants who met all criteria. DL cohorts tended to have more people in younger age groups than in-person cohorts, with no other notable demographic differences. In-person participants were engaged in the program longer than DL participants. DL participants had a higher initial number of physical activity minutes, a higher average number of active minutes per week, and achieved 150 minutes per week more times. DL participants achieved lower diastolic blood pressure by the end of the program. No other differences were observed in either intake or at the end of the program. Conclusion: DL is offered as a solution for the rural spread of Montana. DL participants tended to be younger, engaged in more physical activity and achieved lower diastolic blood pressure compared to in-person participants. These data are limited by the rurality of Montana, further research may provide more findings. Disclosure: W. Gardner: None. J. Fernandes: None. M. House: None. A. Lanes: None. C. Gale: None. M. Butcher: None. T. Filan: None. Funding: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DP-23-0020)