Feasibility of a Soccer-based Adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has been successful in reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through moderate weight loss and increased physical activity, and evidence from the original DPP suggests that adoption of increased physical activity (PA) habits are maintained up to 10 years among intervention participants when compared to control. Hispanic males are difficult to engage in traditional lifestyle or non-communicable chronic disease (NCDs) prevention interventions, yet, they have high rates of obesity and are at high risk for NCDs, particularly T2DM. Small-sided recreational soccer (RS) 6-12 month interventions have shown to be effective to achieve 5% weight loss and reduce cardio-metabolic risk, stemming from its varied movement patterns and highly functional training. Although proven cost-effectiveness and currently expanding in Europe, RS cardio-metabolic preventive interventions have not been tested in U.S. populations.

To fill this gap in health promotion, the goal for this proposal is to utilize the local Hispanic community's interest in soccer as a vehicle to deliver an adapted DPP among male, overweight, Latino adults at high T2DM risk. The researchers will test the following central hypothesis: A soccer-based adaptation to the DPP, can be feasibly implemented in a middle-age Latino men population at high risk for T2DM. In lieu of the traditional walking or exercise program, participants will be enrolled in 12 weeks of soccer conditioning followed by 12 weeks of small-sided soccer league play. National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) online core and maintenance modules will also be facilitated by trained coaches during soccer practice for the first 12 weeks and through monthly in-person meetings the last 12 weeks. Physical activity volume, sleep and sedentary time will be tracked objectively with wearable devices linked to an innovative research smartphone app that provides data to the researchers and tailored in-app notifications and surveys to the participant. Additionally, the study will assess implementation feasibility and explore preliminary signals for improvements in objectively-measured PA, dietary behaviors, physical fitness and body composition and quality of life outcomes with the soccer-based DPP adaptation.