Penn Medicine: Game on: Game-Based Program Boosts Physical Activity Among Diabetes Patients

By making a game out of getting their daily steps, new research points to the possibility that people with diabetes could be nudged toward increasing their physical activity, with changes lasting for a full year. Since many now use apps or other digital means to manage their diabetes, this program – which utilized tools like wearable step counters and electronic scales with personalized goals – could potentially be integrated to help individuals achieve greater success. Findings from the study, conducted by a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, were published today in JAMA Network Open. “Wearable devices and digital weight scales are increasingly being adopted,” said the study’s senior author, Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD, director of the Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics and a professor in Health Policy. “In addition to our findings about gamification, we believe that our clinical trial shows these technologies are powerful when combined with behavioral science to guide people toward better habits and better health.” Read more at Penn Medicine News.