An Evaluation of Multimodal Interventions for Co-morbid Frailty and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults aged over 65 present with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a statistic which is projected to double over the next 20 years. Importantly, the pathological interplay between T2DM and frailty exacerbates functional decline in older populations. While lifestyle interventions centred on physical activity and nutrition have shown promise in managing both conditions, preliminary findings in older T2DM patients highlight a significant non-response rate. Behavioural interventions’ ability to enhance physical function among frail older adults with T2DM, however, remains inadequately investigated.
This study aims to assess individual responses to a structured multimodal intervention on functional performance through a cluster-randomised multicentre clinical trial enrolling 843 prefrail and frail individuals aged ≥70 years with T2DM. Participants were randomised into usual care control or multimodal intervention groups, which included 16-week progressive resistance training, seven nutritional and diabetological educational sessions, and achieving glycated haemoglobin (7–8%) and blood pressure (<150 mmHg) targets.