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BRAIN-Diabetes: a randomised trial to test the feasibility of an adapted FINGER multidomain intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes living in rural border regions of Ireland
Claire T. McEvoy, Geraldine M. McCarthy, Rebecca F. Townsend, Catherine Dolan, Joanne Regan‐Moriarty, Chris R. Cardwell, Bernadette McGuinness, Seán Kennelly et al.. European Journal of Ageing, 2025-06-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
In total, 156 individuals were assessed for eligibility, and 79 (51%) were recruited (mean age 61.6 ± 6.9 (range 60-75) years; 68% male). After 6 months, retention was 81% (72% in intervention versus 90% control). Adherence rate was high with most participants attending > 50% of the scheduled intervention sessions. There was greater improvement in diet quality (p < 0.001), daily step count (p = 0.04), triglyceride levels (p = 0.02) and health-related quality of life (p < 0.05) in the intervention group compared to control. There were no observed intervention effects on cognitive performance over 6 months. The BRAIN-Diabetes pilot trial demonstrated that an adapted FINGER model was feasible to deliver and efficacious in supporting lifestyle behavioural changes among a unique at-risk rural population. There were also indicative benefits for metabolic health and health-related quality of life over a short time frame. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (registration ref: NCT05304975 accepted 31st March 2022).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
McEvoy, C. T., McCarthy, G. M., Townsend, R. F., Dolan, C., Regan‐Moriarty, J., Cardwell, C. R., et al. (2025). BRAIN-Diabetes: a randomised trial to test the feasibility of an adapted FINGER multidomain intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes living in rural border regions of Ireland. European Journal of Ageing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-025-00862-0
Vancouver
McEvoy CT, McCarthy GM, Townsend RF, Dolan C, Regan‐Moriarty J, Cardwell CR, et al. BRAIN-Diabetes: a randomised trial to test the feasibility of an adapted FINGER multidomain intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes living in rural border regions of Ireland. European Journal of Ageing. 2025. doi:10.1007/s10433-025-00862-0. PMID: 40550886.
BibTeX
@article{mcevoy2025-40550886,
author = {McEvoy, Claire T. and McCarthy, Geraldine M. and Townsend, Rebecca F. and Dolan, Catherine and Regan‐Moriarty, Joanne and Cardwell, Chris R. and McGuinness, Bernadette and Kennelly, Seán and others},
title = {{BRAIN-Diabetes: a randomised trial to test the feasibility of an adapted FINGER multidomain intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes living in rural border regions of Ireland}},
journal = {European Journal of Ageing},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/s10433-025-00862-0},
pmid = {40550886},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-025-00862-0}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- In total, 156 individuals were assessed for eligibility, and 79 (51%) were recruited (mean age 61.6 ± 6.9 (range 60-75) years; 68% male).
- After 6 months, retention was 81% (72% in intervention versus 90% control).
- Adherence rate was high with most participants attending > 50% of the scheduled intervention sessions.
- There was greater improvement in diet quality (p < 0.001), daily step count (p = 0.04), triglyceride levels (p = 0.02) and health-related quality of life (p < 0.05) in the intervention group compared to control.
- There were no observed intervention effects on cognitive performance over 6 months.
Why it matters
This pilot trial found that an adapted multidomain intervention was feasible and improved diet quality, step count, triglyceride levels, and quality of life, but it found no effect on cognitive performance over 6 months. It does not show that this intervention prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Participants156
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (European Journal of Ageing) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | European Journal of Ageing: journal h-index 90 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 156 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomized (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Peter Passmore: h-index 57 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, San Francisco: institution h-index 1,915 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40550886) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s10433-025-00862-0
- PubMed: 40550886
- Original source →
- Free full text: European Journal of Ageing →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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