The project will test the effectiveness of a physical activity reward programme delivered through a mobile phone app. Activity reward programmes encourage people to be more active by setting goals and offering incentives for meeting those goals. people for meeting their physical activity goals.
Background
Type 2 diabetes is a growing health problem worldwide. Over 4 million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes. It can lead to serious issues like sight loss, heart attacks, and strokes. It costs the NHS around £10 billion each year.
Healthy habits like being active and eating well can prevent or even reverse diabetes in many cases. Being active is especially helpful, improving health and reducing diabetes complications.
However, many people with diabetes struggle to be active enough. This study explores a new approach using technology and rewards to help people with type 2 diabetes become more active. The study will use a mobile phone app, a wearable trackers (like a Fitbits or Apple watch), and financial incentives. People will be given a personalized activity goal each week and get rewarded with vouchers for meeting those goals.
The study will see if this program, called the Milton Keynes Activity Rewards Programme, is effective. It will measure blood sugar levels (HbA1c) and quality of life. It will compare people using the program to those receiving standard care.
Project Aims
We want to understand, if:
- An activity reward programme can improve people's health and diabetes control
- An activity reward programme is good value for money
Project Activity
In 2024 a pilot, including 90 participants took place. This showed the broad programme and trial was acceptable and allowed us to test different approaches to recruitment.
Currently (in 2025), the team are working with local residents and Loughborough University to develop a new app that will be used to deliver the programme, when the trial relaunches in January 2026.
Anticipated or actual outputs
Diabetes is associated with significant medical complications (e.g. kidney damage, damage to sight, heart disease). It is also costly for the NHS to treat.
Whilst good eating and being activity are important parts of managing diabetes, most 'treatments' for the disease are drug treatments. Patients want alternative forms of help. Helping patients be active may help reduce the need for drug treatment, as well as improving quality of life and help prevent other health conditions. Drug treatment can also be expensive.
Activity reward programmes have been successfully used in (private) insurance based healthcare models in the US an the UK, but there is no good evidence of the impact and cost-effectiveness in public healthcare systems, including the NHS. Financial incentives are used in the NHS, although their use is relatively limited to well-evidenced situations (to help women stop smoking during pregnancy).
There is a need to identify other forms of structured help for patients with diabetes to complement drug treatments. These may help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.
If the programme is successful, it could be used more widely in the NHS for people with diabetes, or it could be used more broadly to help other patients group who would benefit from increasing their physical activity.
Papers/resources associated with this project
Who is involved?
- Oliver Mytton (CI and corresponding researcher, Milton Keynes City Council and Milton Keynes University Hospital)
- James Sanders (Loughborough University)
- Jo Turner (Trial Manager, Milton Keynes University Hospital)
- Ian Reckless (Milton Keynes University Hospital)
- Amanda Daley (Loughborough University)
- Antoanela Colda (MKUH)
- Soma Hajdu (MKUH)
- Andrew Potter (Whaddon Medical Centre)
- Ioannis Spiliotis (MKUH)
Contact: oliver.mytton@milton-keynes.gov.uk
