Effectiveness of digital and remote provision of the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Aims: To assess weight change in the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP) delivered via video conferencing (remote) sessions or delivered via specific digital interventions through apps or websites, during the COVID‐19 pandemic compared to group‐based face‐to‐face interventions, pre‐pandemic. Methods: Prospectively collected national service‐level data relating to individuals with non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia (HbA1c 42–47 mmol/mol (6.0%–6.4%) or fasting plasma glucose 5.5–6.9 mmol/L) referred to the NHS DPP from June 2016 to March 2022. Results: Between March 2020 and March 2022, 335,961 people were referred to the programme and were offered a choice of remote or digital intervention. This was preceded by 556,793 people referred to the face‐to‐face programme between June 2016 and February 2022. Uptakes to intervention sessions were 47% for those offered a choice and 39% for face‐to‐face. Remote and digital participants were significantly younger (60 and 56 vs. 65 years) and heavier (86.1 kg and 91.0 kg vs. 84.1 kg) compared to face‐to‐face. Weight change was assessed for 42,407 remote, 7699 digital and 97,205 face‐to‐face participants with sufficient time to have finished the programme and no missing data. Mean weight losses for participants attending at least one intervention session were: 2.40 (2.36–2.44) kg, 2.59 (2.49–2.68) kg and 2.01 (1.98–2.04) kg for remote, digital and face‐to‐face participants respectively. Corresponding mean weight losses for those who completed the programme were: 3.24 (3.19–3.30) kg, 4.76 (4.60–4.92) kg and 3.04 (3.00–3.07) kg. There were no significant differences in weight change between interventions by ethnicity and deprivation. Conclusions: Weight losses achieved through remote and digital interventions were greater than those previously achieved through face‐to‐face interventions, without evidence of exacerbation of health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]