Collaborative Solutions for Breaking up Sedentary Time in Black Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: The Interrupt Diabetes Study

The disparate burden of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) faced by Black individuals makes attention to preventing or delaying the development of T2D and its associated cardiovascular (CV) complications, essential.

Similar to differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates across racial and ethnic groups of older people, there are differences in engagement in physical activity (PA), a significant contributor to CVD. Black adults are less likely to engage in physical activity PA than their non-Hispanic White peers, with 26.7% of Black Minnesotans reporting that they did not engage any leisure-time PA in the past month, compared to 19.6% of non-Hispanic White Minnesotans. Notably, recent research has demonstrated that high amounts SB (i.e., sitting or lying with low levels of energy expenditure) also have significant detrimental effects on health, beyond those of physical inactivity. Experimental data from lab-based studies demonstrate that breaking up prolonged SB can rapidly improve markers of cardiometabolic risk (e.g., glucose and endothelial function) but the majority of these studies have focused on young, healthy, White adults. Given the significant inequities and health disparities faced by Black individuals and the lack of adequate representation of Black older adults in studies examining SB in individuals with T2D, understanding psychosocial and societal contributors to and consequences of SB experienced by this population is an essential first step toward developing relevant interventions targeting SB, and ultimately, CV health.

The disparate burden of T2D faced by Black individuals makes attention to preventing or delaying the development of T2D and its associated CV complications, essential.

Similar to differences in CVD rates across racial and ethnic groups of older people, there are differences in engagement in physical activity (PA), a significant contributor to CVD. Black adults are less likely to engage in PA than their non-Hispanic White peers, with 26.7% of Black Minnesotans reporting that they did not engage any leisure-time PA in the past month, compared to 19.6% of non-Hispanic White Minnesotans. Notably, recent research has demonstrated that high amounts SB (i.e., sitting or lying with low levels of energy expenditure) also have significant detrimental effects on health, beyond those of physical inactivity. Experimental data from lab-based studies demonstrate that breaking up prolonged SB can rapidly improve markers of cardiometabolic risk (e.g., glucose and endothelial function) but the majority of these studies have focused on young, healthy, White adults. Given the significant inequities and health disparities faced by Black individuals and the lack of adequate representation of Black older adults in studies examining SB in individuals with T2D, understanding psychosocial and societal contributors to and consequences of SB experienced by this population is an essential first step toward developing relevant interventions targeting SB, and ultimately, CV health.

The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of individuals' experiences of sedentary behavior (SB) and collaborate to design strategies to reduce SB. Using the Center for Chronic Disease Reduction and Equity Promotion Across Minnesota (C2DREAM) conceptual model, social-ecological framework, and COM-B model, the study will seek to understand the relationship between SB and individual, relationship, community, and societal factors. The study will also examine the context of SB and strategies that participants have used and could or would consider using to break up the time they spend sitting.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases; Type 2 Diabetes
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: strategies to break up SB

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55414
      • University of Minnesota

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Self-identify as Black or African American.
• Aged 55 years and older.
• Speak and read English.
• Self-reported diagnosis of T2D.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Evidence of cognitive impairment that could impact ability to consent and/or participation (Mini-Cog score <3).
• Physical impairment or disability that interferes with ability to engage in PA (e.g., severe osteoarthritis, lower extremity amputation [other than toe(s)/partial foot], regular use of a walker or wheelchair, etc.).
• Unstable medical/psychiatric condition that in the opinion of the PI could impact study participation.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Experimental group; Black adults aged 55 and older with T2D

Behavioral: strategies to break up SB; Participants will be asked to implement strategies to break up their SB every hour for at least 8 hours a day for one week. Strategies will be developed through collaboration with participants during the first study interview and may include (but are not limited to): calf raises, brief (~5 min) self-paced walking), squats, sit to stand, etc. Participants will wear an activity monitor for assessment of SB and walking. This device (activPAL, PALTechnologies, Glasgow, Scotland) is not an investigational device; it is used for monitoring sedentary behavior.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
sedentary time	measured via accelerometer	7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Minnesota
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Mary O Whipple, PhD, RN, PHN, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): November 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 21, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): February 28, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 4, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 2, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Metabolic Diseases; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Diabetes Mellitus; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Cardiovascular Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: SON-2024-32671

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No