The impact of health coaching on glycemic control among uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: Health coaching is a potential approach to increase glycemic control by improving diabetes patients’ lifestyles. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of health coaching on glycemic control and patients’ lifestyle among uncontrolled diabetes patients in Indonesia. Methods: Our study involved 60 uncontrolled T2DM (type 2 diabetes mellitus) patients with HbA1c > 7.5% from two referral hospitals in Jakarta, Indonesia. The control group received T2DM treatment and 12 standardized diabetes education, while the intervention group received an additional 12 personal health coaching sessions. The primary outcome of this study was glycemic control, which was evaluated at baseline, 3rd month, and 6th months after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included diet and physical activities as lifestyle parameters. Results: Our study showed fasting plasma glucose was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (135.46 [38.61] mg/dL vs. 176.59 [62.45] mg/dL, p = 0.006). Moreover, 2-hours Post Prandial Glucose (2hPPG) was also significantly lower in the intervention group (141.42 [53.06] mg/dL vs. 242.11 [117.24] mg/dL, p < 0.001). HbA1c levels had lower values in the intervention group, although it was not significant (7.83% [2.18] vs. 8.87% [2.10], p = 0.054). No significant differences were observed for dietary control and physical activity. Conclusions: At the six-month follow-up, the health coaching program significantly improved the participants’ glycemic control (FPG and 2hPPG). In addition to current diabetes care standards, the health coaching method can raise patient awareness, encourage self-care, and improve their ideal glycemic levels.