Pattern of physical activity among persons with type 2 diabetes with special consideration to daily routine

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity can improve general health, quality of life and diabetes management. The aim and objective of the study was to assess the physical activity trends in daily routine of people with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Two hundred persons with diabetes from four different clinical settings were included to access the trends of physical activity using a customized questionnaire EPIC-2. Pattern of physical activity was assessed across a set of domains including sleep time, hours of TV watch, preferred mode of transport for specific distance and household activities. Data was analyzed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Out of 200 persons with diabetes, 104(52%) were male and 96 (48%) were female. Out of the total sample of patients, 85 (81.7%) Male and 80 (83.3%) female patients preferred walk to cover a distance of less than one mile. There was a significant difference in selection of mode of transport for all other specified distance, esp. in female patients with both age groups. There was insignificant difference for physical activity pattern related to household activities in young and elderly male subjects. The mean sleeping time for younger male subjects on weekend was 464.31± 88.88 minutes/day and for elder it was 418.65± 102.66 minutes/day while for young female subjects was 476.25± 113.74 minutes/day and in female elderly subjects it was 420.62± 120.62 minutes/day respectively. CONCLUSION: In type 2 diabetics we observed a low level of physical activity which may be detrimental for the control of diabetes mellitus.