This kaupapa Māori-informed study randomised 68 Māori and 70 NZ Europeans newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to face-to-face (n=70) or telephone (n=68) delivery of the national Green Prescription lifestyle programme for 6 months. At the first face-to-face meeting (used as the Green Prescription information session), all study participants agreed to participate in the programme. Throughout the study, there were small but clinically favourable improvements in health outcomes for both Māori and NZ Europeans, regardless of the mode of delivery, face-to-face or telephone. At 6 months there were overall reductions from baseline in body weight (1.8 kg), waist circumference (3.7 cm), total cholesterol (0.6 mmol/L) and glycated haemoglobin (3.1 mmol/mol). No significant differences were observed in regard to mode of delivery, ethnicity or gender. Drop-out at 6 months was greater for Māori than for NZ Europeans (49% vs 24%; p=0.04). Overall attrition rates for the face-to-face and telephone approaches were 31% and 41%, respectively (p=0.509).
