The S.T.E.P. study

10,000 Steps To Enhanced Prevention Study

Diabetes In Control and Omron Corporation are working together to provide you our readers and your patients an opportunity to participate in the S.T.E.P. study. 

By using a pedometer to motivate patients we hope to show a reduction in the risk for complications for those with Diabetes and also to reduce the risk for Diabetes among those with Pre-Diabetes.

Background:

A few years ago the Surgeon General recommended that we get half an hour of exercise a day to maintain good health. We can get it all at once or spread out in shorter segments.

The American Diabetes Association's position statement on "Diabetes and Exercise" supports the Surgeon General's recommendation. "The recent Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health underscores the pivotal role physical activity plays in health promotion and disease prevention," according to the position statement. "It recommends that individuals accumulate 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week."

The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that in 3234 people with IGT (Pre-Diabetes), those who walked or exercised five times a week for 30 minutes lost 5% to 7% of their body weight and reduced their risk of diabetes by 58% and for those over the age of 60, the reduction in diabetes risk was 71%, better than any drug used in the study.

30 minutes of exercise happens to be close to 10,000 steps. That means using one of the new electronic pedometers that will automatically count those steps for you and make it fun. If 10,000 steps sounds like a lot, it might help to know that the average person already walks about 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day. To double that really doesn't take much.

This unimpressive-looking device is a simple pedometer, used traditionally by racewalkers to track their mileage. But it may be one of the most powerful motivators you've ever encountered, short of a Marine Corps drill sergeant. 

___Studies now show that sedentary people who wear pedometers and have a daily goal become more active all day and see improvements in fitness and body fat comparable to people doing more structured exercise.

___"If you're one of those people who believe that only vigorous exercise - such as jogging 2 miles - counts toward fitness, you'd better think again", says Ross Andersen, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. The pedometer research that Dr. Andersen and others have done proves that just increasing your everyday activities - walking the dog and just getting up more often - can make a big difference.

Diabetes in Control and Omron want you to help us find 50 patients with Pre-Diabetes or Type 2 diabetes to start on a pedometer program. These patients will be divided into two groups based on pre-study activity. Those who are most inactive will have a goal of 10,000 steps, while those who are more active will have a goal of 18,000 steps. After 90 days we will check for improvements in weight, body fat, cholesterol, and A1c values.

          Each patient will be provided a pedometer to use and keep after the study is over.  They will receive an A1c test and complete lipid panel.  Weight and blood pressure will be taken at the beginning of the study. These will be repeated after 90 days.

          Each patient with an email address will receive motivational messages and will have the opportunity to email us their weekly results. 

___The Pedometer has the ability to motivate patients to get off the sofa.   Now for the first time they can look down and see that it does make a difference.  After they take a walk, it's satisfying to see their steps ticking away. It's like a pat on the back.

_Wearing a pedometer has been shown to cue the patient to be more active. When they see or feel the pedometer on their waistband, they are reminded to get moving, especially if they've got a long way to go to hit their goal.

For those who complete the study and have accomplished their goal of either 10 to 18 thousand steps daily will be entered into a special drawing and receive a bonus pack of surprises.

Study Components:

1.      S.T.E.P.  Pre and Post-Program Healthcare Professional & Patient Questionnaires

2.      Explanation of study for Patient and Medical Professional

3.      S.T.E.P.  Healthcare Professional Checklist

4.      A1c Finger-Stick Mail Away test (2) Pre and post study

5.      Lipid Panel Finger-Stick Mail Away Test (2) Pre and Post Study

6.      A Patient Log with 90 days to enter daily steps.

7.      A Educator Log to enter Monthly steps for each patient

8.      Weekly/Monthly emails will be provided upon request to each participant for motivation and updates on team standings.

9.      There will be prizes and trophies to motivate your patients. 

Rules and prizes

1.      Each educator will receive a special gift for participation

2.      Each educator will register 5 patients into the study.  Educators can participate with other educators as part of a team.

3.      A total of 10 educators with 5 patients each will participate.

4.      There will be 5 groups of 2 educators and 10 patients each

The patients will fax or call in their monthly totals to the educator (total steps for the month)  within 5 days after the month is over.   The educator will total the steps on the step form and email, or fax to publisher@Diabetesincontrol.com or fax 847-589-1749, at the conclusion of 30-60-90 days.

Motivation:  to help motivate your patients we will be awarding trophies and prizes in different categories

1.      We will put 2 educators with 5 patients into a team group and we will have 5 groups of 10 patients each.  Each group will be given one of the following designations:  White, Red, Green, Purple, Blue and Yellow. 

2.      We will total the most steps in 90 days for each team.

3.      We will total the A1c numbers (divide by the number in the group) to find the best improvement of A1c in 90 days.

4.      Best improvement in Lipids, same as above.

Prizes will be awarded to the team members with the best improvement in A1c and Lipids and for the most steps.

Trophies also awarded the patient with the most steps and the best overall improvement in A1c results and or lipid results.

For those patients that would like to get updated as to the progress of their group and the others.  We will email those once a week or month and give them the totals for each group.

Prizes include:

v     Trophies

v     Automatic Blood pressure kits

v     Medic Alert Watches

v     Shower and Bath Water Filters

v     Gift certificates to BlockBuster Video

v     Many More Prizes                                

To Start your own study or for more information contact: Steve Freed, study coordinator at 800-798-6972 or email at publisher@diabetesincontrol.com 

Educator Packet: 

• Digital Pedometers + Instructions
• Program Overview
• Healthcare Professional Instructions and Checklist
• Informed Consent Form
• Medical and Lifestyle Information Form
• Post-Program Healthcare Professional and Patient Questionnaires
• Patient Log
• Educator Log
• The Art of Walking