Effect of Mobile Game on Self-Management in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that necessitates ongoing medical attention and self-care to prevent acute and chronic complications. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile games on self-management practices among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (v6.2) and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 checklist. Four authors (N.T., D.O., H.B., I.D.) collaboratively developed and refined the search strategy for all databases. The electronic searches were then executed by 1 reviewer (N.T.) in PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovid, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Scopus, and all records were exported to the reference management software. Studies published between 2017 and 2024 in English were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias was independently evaluated by all authors using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2.0). The initial search yielded 380 records, of which 22 full texts were assessed for eligibility; ultimately, 6 randomized controlled trials published between 2017 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The findings indicated that mobile game–based interventions had positive and significant impacts on dietary management, physical activity, and metabolic control parameters. Mobile game–based interventions significantly contribute to improved self-management behaviors, including nutrition regulation, increased physical activity, and better metabolic outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite their potential, technological barriers may limit accessibility among certain populations. To address these challenges, future mobile applications should be simplified, practical, and accompanied by professional user training. The protocol was registered with The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42024574778).

Cite this article as: Terkes N, Ongün D, Bektas H, Debinska I. Effect of mobile game on self-management in individuals with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Arch Health Sci Res. 2026, 13, 0246, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2026.25246.