Association Between Physical Activity and Type 2 Diabetes Using the International Physical Activity Questionnaires: A Case-Control Study at a Health Promoting Hospital in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

BACKGROUND: Health education and promotion is active in Thailand where diabetes is prevalent at 11.6% of the general adult population in 2021. PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe and compare the levels of physical activity between patients with newly diagnosed diabetes and non-diabetic controls in northern Thailand. METHODS: This observational case–control study included participants aged between 25 and 74 years in Chiang Mai. We recruited 150 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at Sanpatong District Hospital and 150 control participants (non-T2DM) in the community. Interviews were conducted using the International Physical Activity Questionnaires–Short Form. Anthropometric measurements and social demographic information were collected from both patients and controls in 2019. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 58.8 ± 8.4 years in the T2DM group and 56.5 ± 9.9 years in the non-T2DM group. Compared to controls, patients with T2DM had received significantly more physical activity education (P < 0.001, Fisher’s test). Most cases (93.3%) had received such education at a hospital or health center. The median total metabolic equivalents (METs) minutes per week (min/week) for participants in the T2DM group were higher than those in the non-T2DM group (2726 vs 1140 METs min/week) (P < 0.001, Mann–Whitney test). Comparing the case and control groups in the category of PA level, we found that the case group had a higher proportion of high-level physical activity (P < 0.001, chi-square test). CONCLUSION: Diabetes patients attending a community hospital exhibited high levels of physical activity. The majority of them received education related physical activity from a primary health care service.