Effectiveness of a Virtual Health Management Community (VHMC) for Pre-diabetes in China

Prediabetes, including impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), is a metabolic state characterized by elevated blood glucose levels that do not yet meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes. China has the highest prevalence of prediabetes among adults, estimated at 35.2%. Individuals with prediabetes are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is associated with severe complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, and substantial economic burden. Therefore, preventing the progression from prediabetes to diabetes is an urgent public health priority. Lifestyle modification is recognized as the most effective strategy for diabetes prevention; however, long-term adherence remains challenging. Traditional self-management interventions predominantly focus on individual-level behavior change, often overlooking the role of social support and community engagement. Group-based health management has the potential to provide social, practical, and emotional support, thereby enhancing self-efficacy, but existing models are frequently passive, fragmented, and difficult to sustain over time. Virtual health communities (VHCs) provide online platforms that facilitate social interaction and self-management, overcoming geographical and time constraints while promoting active engagement. Although VHC-based group management approaches have been applied in various chronic diseases, their application in individuals with prediabetes remains limited. Moreover, many existing models lack sufficient group interaction and emotional engagement to support sustained behavior change. To address these gaps, we developed a novel Virtual Health Management Community (VHMC) model that integrates structured group interaction management with digital health support, including dedicated patient and health manager modules. This study aims to apply the VHMC platform in individuals with prediabetes and to evaluate the effectiveness of this group interaction-based management model in improving glycemic control and related health outcomes.