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Not yet recruitingNCT06375460REFLECT2DUpdated Sep 11, 2026

Real-time Engagement for Learning to Effectively Control Type 2 Diabetes

An interventional study of Focused App Prompt and No App Prompt in Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Lifestyle and Hyperglycemia, sponsored by University of Pittsburgh. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 14 Years to 26 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-11.

Sponsored by University of Pittsburgh · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
100
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
14 Years to 26 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new smartphone app that pairs glucose and exercise data will help adolescents and young adults with type 2 diabetes improve glycemic control. It will also study how changes in glycemic control are maintained over time. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does using the app help with short-term glycemic control?
  • Does using the app help with longer-term glycemic control?
  • Does using the app help increase physical activity?

Participants will:

  • Wear a continuous glucose monitoring device for 6 months
  • Wear a physical activity tracker for 6 months
  • Use the study smartphone app for 6 months
  • Complete 3 in-person study visits with fasting blood draws
  • Report dietary intake intermittently throughout the study
Read the detailed description

The objective of REFLECT2D (Real-time Engagement For Learning to Effectively Control Type 2 Diabetes) is to evaluate whether pairing real-time glycemic and health behavior data leads to improved glycemic control among adolescents and young adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants will use a mobile app that integrates continuous glucose monitor data, Fitbit activity tracker data, and diet logging, with the aim of increasing capability to interpret glycemic data (including impacts of physical activity and dietary intake), providing opportunity to plan and implement behavior change, and increasing motivation to engage in health behaviors. After an initial educational session and run-in period, a 90-day micro-randomized trial (MRT) period will involve once daily randomization of each participant to: 1) physical-activity focused prompt, 2) dietary intake-focused prompt, or 3) no prompt. After the MRT, a 90-day observation period without prompts but with ongoing availability of continuous glucose monitor data, Fitbit, and Healthmine app will examine persistence of glycemic and behavior changes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
  • Lifestyle
  • Hyperglycemia
  • Physical Inactivity
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
14 Years to 26 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • type 2 diabetes: negative diabetes autoantibodies, no suspicion for monogenic diabetes
  • English-speaking (app in English)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current pregnancy
  • Hydroxyurea use (CGM sensor inaccuracies)
  • Cognitive impairment or severe psychiatric condition that could interfere with participation in behavioral intervention for diabetes self-management
  • Current or previously diagnosed eating disorder
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Physical Activity Focused App Prompt

    The app prompts will ask participants what went well, or did not go well with their physical activity in the previous 24 hours in relation to their blood glucose numbers.

    Behavioral: Focused App Prompt

  • Experimental
    Diet Focused App Prompt

    The app prompts will ask participants what went well, or did not go well with their diet in the previous 24 hours in relation to their blood glucose numbers.

    Behavioral: Focused App Prompt

  • Experimental
    No App Prompt

    No app prompt will be sent to the participant

    Behavioral: No App Prompt

Interventions

  • BehavioralFocused App Prompt

    Prompts are designed to develop knowledge and self-efficacy in diabetes-related health behaviors (capability). The paired glycemic and behavior data will provide the opportunity to reflect and to plan diet or exercise for the following day (self-reflective motivation).

  • BehavioralNo App Prompt

    No app prompts are designed to assess whether health behaviors are affected without being prompted to reflect and change those behaviors related to glycemic control.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Glucose time above 180mg/dL

    measured using continuous glucose monitor

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  2. Mean daily glucose

    measured using continuous glucose monitor; mg/dL

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  3. Maximum daily glucose

    measured using continuous glucose monitor; mg/dL

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  4. Minimum daily glucose

    measured using continuous glucose monitor; mg/dL

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  5. Glucose coefficient of variability

    measured using continuous glucose monitor

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  6. Mean amplitude of glycemic excursions

    measured using continuous glucose monitor

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days

  7. Hemoglobin A1c

    lab-based measure to assess longer-term glycemic control, collected at study visit

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  8. Fasting glucose

    lab-based measure to assess glycemic control, collected at study visit

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  9. Objective physical activity (step count)

    step count measured using the Fitbit physical activity tracker

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days;

  10. Objective physical activity (moderate-vigorous physical activity)

    moderate-vigorous physical activity (\>100 steps per minute) will be measured using Fitbit activity tracker

    Time frame: daily during micro randomized trial, 90 days;

  11. Self-reported physical activity

    assessed using PACE+ Adolescent Physical Activity Measure (PACE+) questionnaire to determine days with at least 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week. score ranges from 0-14; lower scores indicate less achievement of physical activity guidelines

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  12. Diet quality

    24-hour dietary recall will be collected by study staff, who will use the Automated Self Administered 24 Hour Dietary Recall Assessment Tool (ASA24) to record data for diet quality assessment

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  13. Capability

    Assessed via the Diabetes Empowerment Scale (DES), a measure of self-efficacy. Average score ranges from 28-140; higher scores indicate greater diabetes empowerment

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  14. Healthmine app use

    Percent of days with app use, per study period will be determined.

    Time frame: during microrandomized trial, observational period

  15. Continuous glucose monitor use use

    Defined as percent of days with CGM data available, per study period.

    Time frame: during microrandomized trial, observational period

  16. Motivation to engage in diabetes self-management

    Measured via Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ). score ranges from 15-105; scoring is based on and average between subscales of intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation.

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

Secondary outcomes

  1. Body Mass Index (BMI)

    weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2

    Time frame: through study completion, 6 months average

  2. Diabetes distress

    Measured via Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID-5). Score ranges from 0-20; a total score of 8 or more indicates possible diabetes related emotional distress.

    Time frame: through study completion; 6 months average

06

Study locations

1 site
  • UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224, United States
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, appendices)

Supporting information: Study protocol, Icf

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06375460
Lead sponsor
University of Pittsburgh
Collaborators
Dartmouth College, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), University of Michigan, San Diego State University, Emory University
Responsible party
Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD (Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 19, 2024
Start date
Sep 30, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jul 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 11, 2026

Study contacts

Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD
Contact
vajravelume@upmc.edu
412-692-6533
Margaret Zupa, MD
Contact
zupamf@upmc.edu
Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD
principal investigator · University of Pittsburgh

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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