Efficacy of a physical activity regimen on visual outcomes among persons newly diagnosed with abnormal glucose tolerance: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background: Abnormal Glucose Tolerance (AGT), which encompasses diabetes and prediabetes, is a growing global public health problem. It is affecting millions and predisposing such patients to several complications, including ocular complications. Physical activity has been found to improve glycemic levels, but the specific effect on visual outcomes in a newly diagnosed African population with AGT is yet to be explored fully. This pilot randomized controlled trial seeks to test the efficacy of a physical activity intervention on improving visual outcomes among newly diagnosed persons with AGT in Cape Coast, Ghana. Methods: An ostensibly healthy population will be screened for AGT. Persons newly diagnosed with AGT will be recruited into the randomized controlled trial. About 50 newly diagnosed participants with AGT will undergo a 12-week moderate-to-vigorous physical activity intervention, specifically exercises that burn more than 3.0 metabolic equivalents, to ascertain its effect on their visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, central visual field and diabetic retinopathy status. The participants will be randomized into a physical activity intervention group and a control group. Assessments will be done at baseline, and treatment outcomes assessed on the last day of the intervention for each participant. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been given ethical clearance by the University of Cape Coast Institutional Review Board. The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, as well as abstract presentations. Discussion: This study intends to investigate and present findings on the advantages of physical activity interventions on visual outcomes among people with AGT. The results of this study hold promise in informing evidence-based interventions for persons with AGT in low-resource settings. Registration: This trial has been prospectively registered with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202409492459905).