Health-promoting behaviors among adults with type 2 diabetes: findings from the Health and Retirement Study.
BACKGROUND
Type 2 diabetes has an enormous impact on the health care system and individuals. Dietary habits, exercise, weight management, and smoking status are critical to management and prevention of complications. This study describes the prevalence of these behaviors and their change over time in a national sample of adults with type 2 diabetes. The relationships between behavior change and sociodemographic and health status measures are explored.


METHODS
Data are from the first and third longitudinal waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Surveys were conducted face-to-face or via telephone in 1992 and 1996.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 733 persons with type 2 diabetes, ages 50-62. The most common behaviors were being on a special diet (79.6%), and not smoking (76.6%). Sixty-six percent were engaged in some physical activity, and 58.4% were trying to lose weight. Reports of being on a special diet, trying to lose weight, and exercising all diminished over time.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of these behaviors is disappointing. Worse, they declined over the 4-year period. A better understanding of factors contributing to a person's decision to begin or discontinue health-promoting behaviors is needed to plan effective supportive or preemptive interventions.
Nothwehr
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Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis 46202-2859, USA. nothwehr_f@regenstrief.iupui.edu
Stump
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D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003625:Data Collection; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People