Digital Structured Education With Behavioral Nudge Tools for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract Background Digital interventions offer scalable alternatives to traditional face-to-face diabetes education, but often face challenges related to inconsistent clinical effectiveness, and declining user engagement. However, whether a digital structured education program integrated with behavioral nudge tools can improve metabolic, behavioral, and psychological outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes remains unclear. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital structured education program integrated with behavioral nudge tools in improving metabolic, behavioral, and psychological outcomes among adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in the endocrinology departments of 4 hospitals in China. Adults with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving a digital structured education program integrated with behavioral nudge tools (n=146) or a control group receiving standard digital diabetes education (n=147). Assessments were conducted at baseline and 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome was hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at 12 weeks, adjusted for baseline HbA1c, and study center. Secondary outcomes included fasting blood glucose (FBG), weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profiles, self-management behaviors, self-efficacy, and habit strength. Results Among 293 participants (mean age 49.19, SD 10.02 y), 287 (97.9%) completed follow-up. At 12 weeks, the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in HbA1c (adjusted mean difference −0.38%, 95% CI −0.68% to −0.09%; P=.01), FBG (adjusted mean difference −0.75, 95% CI −1.27 to −0.44 mmol/L; P<.001), weight (adjusted mean difference −0.84, 95% CI −1.61 to −0.07 kg; P=.03), BMI (adjusted mean difference −0.38, 95% CI −0.65 to −0.11 kg/m²; P=.01), systolic blood pressure (adjusted mean difference −2.71, 95% CI −4.62 to −0.79 mm Hg; P=.01), diastolic blood pressure (adjusted mean difference −2.92, 95% CI −4.47 to −1.37 mm Hg; P<.001), and total cholesterol (adjusted mean difference −0.27, 95% CI −0.48 to −0.05 mmol/L; P=.02). The intervention was also associated with significantly greater improvements in self-management behaviors, self-efficacy, and habit strength (all P<.05). Conclusions Digital structured education integrated with behavioral nudge tools improved metabolic outcomes and strengthened psychological and behavioral determinants of self-management among adults with type 2 diabetes over a 12-week period. These findings suggest that a digital structured education program integrated with behavioral nudge tools may enhance diabetes self-management beyond standard digital diabetes education. Further studies with longer follow-up and real-world implementation are warranted to evaluate the sustainability, generalizability, and long-term clinical impact of this integrated intervention.