Walking in parks versus urban streets for adults with prediabetes
Effects of Walking in Greenspace and the Built Environment in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial
This project compares short walks in parks versus walks in urban streets to help adults with prediabetes improve blood sugar control and reduce stress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145173 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would complete supervised short walks in both nearby greenspaces (parks) and built urban areas on different days as part of a crossover plan. During visits you would wear monitors for heart rate and activity, have blood pressure checks, provide blood or fingerstick samples for glucose and other biomarkers, and answer brief questionnaires about mood and stress. The team will also measure air pollution exposures during the walks to see how that interacts with your responses. Each participant acts as their own comparison by doing walks in both settings on separate occasions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 or older with prediabetes who can walk for short periods and attend study visits in the Minneapolis area would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with established type 2 diabetes, severe mobility limitations, or medical conditions that prevent safe walking may not benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could show that regular walking in greenspaces lowers blood sugar spikes and stress, which might help slow progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Early and preliminary studies suggest greenspace exposure and walking can improve stress and heart-rate measures, but few rigorous randomized crossover trials have tested these effects in people with prediabetes.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pereira, Mark a — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Pereira, Mark a
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 below.