An interactive, personalized simulation for patients with type 2 diabetes can show the effects of exercise on blood sugar, potentially improving behavior, according to a study published in JMIR Diabetes.

Led by Bryan Gibson, DPT, PhD, from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, a team of researchers evaluated the effects a personalized and interactive simulation in 1,335 patients.

The participants completed seven tasks to measure baseline intentions and post-simulation outcome expectancy. Results showed an increase in intentions to increase the amount of walking done in the coming week.

"A novel interactive simulation is efficacious in changing the outcome expectancies and behavioral intentions of adults with T2DM," concluded Gibson and colleagues. "We discuss applications of our results to the design of mobile health interventions.