Cognitive-behavioral therapy then exercise to lower type 2 diabetes risk in teenage girls
Official title: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Exercise Training in Adolescents At-Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
Funded at Colorado State University · NIH-11324577 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Teen girls at risk for type 2 diabetes will try short-term talking therapy first, then structured exercise, to help lift mood, increase activity, and lower diabetes risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $763,829 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK132557-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324577 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Girls roughly ages 12–19 who are overweight or obese, at high risk for type 2 diabetes, and who have depressive symptoms are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Boys, adults, teens already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or teens without mood symptoms or who cannot take part in therapy or supervised exercise are unlikely to benefit from joining this project.
What this research studies
This project offers teen girls at high risk for type 2 diabetes a sequence of treatments: first short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to reduce depression, followed by a supervised exercise training program to improve fitness. Researchers will measure insulin resistance, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, mood symptoms, and how well participants stick with the exercise plan before and after the interventions. The team focuses especially on females from historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups and will compare outcomes to see if treating mood first improves engagement with exercise and metabolic health. Sessions are likely delivered in person and include counseling and guided workouts with monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower insulin resistance and future diabetes risk while improving mood and exercise adherence in at-risk teen girls.
How similar studies have gone: Exercise alone has shown short-term metabolic benefits in adolescents but limited long-term effects, and using CBT first to boost exercise adherence is a newer approach with some supportive adult data but limited pediatric evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shomaker, Lauren Berger — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Shomaker, Lauren Berger
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.