Study Finds Omada Diabetes Prevention Program Resulted in 7.5% Weight Loss in Humana Medicare Advant
LOUISVILLE, Ky, & San Francisco, Ca — Feb. 2, 2017 — Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and Omada Health today announced the publication of research suggesting that Omada’s digital health program can be an effective strategy for reducing chronic disease risk in older adults.
The study, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, followed a total of 501 patients with Humana Medicare Advantage insurance and an average age of 68.8 years who were at high risk of developing diabetes. Participants were enrolled in Omada Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program offered through Humana, which combines digital health tools (such as wireless digital scales and online courses) with Omada’s coaches to help older adults improve their health and reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes.
Six months after beginning the Omada Program, participants lost an average of 8.0% of their body weight. Twelve months after enrolling, participants had lost an average of 7.5% of their body weight – which translates into an average of 13 to 14 pounds lost from an average initial weight of 208 pounds. Participants with available clinical data also showed improvements in glucose control (an average of -0.14% reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]), as well as a -7.08 mg/dL decrease in total cholesterol on average. Participants also reported improvements in well-being, depression symptoms and self-care.
Participation rates among enrollees were high, with 92% of patients completing at least nine of 16 core online lessons, which focus on topics such as changing food habits and increasing activity levels. On average, participants also interacted with the Omada program 19 times each week.
These kinds of preventive care programs will be critical to maintaining the health of aging Americans, particularly at a time when 51% of those aged 65 or older are at elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“Diabetes and obesity are an epidemic among the senior population and, if left unchallenged, threaten to seriously impact quality of life,” said Cynthia Castro Sweet, PhD, lead author and director of medical affairs at Omada Health. “The results of our research show we now have the tools to fight this epidemic.”
“Humana is committed to helping the people we serve prevent chronic disease,” said Laura E. Happe, PharmD, MPH, study co-author and director of research and publications at Humana. “This study demonstrates that digital tools and personalized coaching can help people reduce their risk of developing diabetes. Importantly, it shows that seniors can be highly engaged in electronic media, which has the potential to greatly expand the number of people these types of programs can help.”
Authors of the study include: Cynthia Castro Sweet, PhD, Vinay Chiguluri, MPH, Rajiv Gumpina, MS, Paul Abbott, MBA, Erica Madero, MS, Mike Payne, MBA, MSci, Laura Happe, PharmD, MPH, Roger Matanich, Andrew Renda, MD, MPH, and Todd Prewitt, MD.
