Validation of a counseling strategy to promote the adoption and the maintenance of physical activity by type 2 diabetic subjects.
OBJECTIVE
There is enough evidence that physical activity is an effective therapeutic tool in the management of type 2 diabetes. The present study was designed to validate a counseling strategy that could be used by physicians in their daily outpatient practice to promote the adoption and maintenance of physical activity by type 2 diabetic subjects.


METHODS
The long-term (2-year) efficacy of the behavioral approach (n = 182) was compared with usual care treatment (n = 158) in two matched, randomized groups of patients with type 2 diabetes who had been referred to our Outpatient Diabetes Center. The outcome of the intervention was consistent patient achievement of an energy expenditure of >10 metabolic equivalents (METs)-h/week through voluntary physical activity.


RESULTS
After 2 years, 69% of the patients in the intervention group (27.1 +/- 2.0 METs x h/week) and 18% of the control group (4.1 +/- 0.8 METs x h/week) achieved the target (P < 0.001) with significant (P < 0.001) improvements in BMI (intervention group 28.9 +/- 0.2 versus control group 30.4 +/- 0.3 kg/m(2)) and HbA(1c) (intervention group 7.0 +/- 0.1 versus control group 7.6 +/- 0.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
This randomized, controlled study shows that physicians can motivate most patients with type 2 diabetes to exercise long-term and emphasizes the value of individual behavioral approaches in daily practice.
Di Loreto
Chiara
C
Department of Internal Medicine, Section Internal Medicine, Endocrine and Metabolic Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy.
Fanelli
Carmine
C
Lucidi
Paola
P
Murdolo
Giuseppe
G
De Cicco
Arianna
A
Parlanti
Natascia
N
Santeusanio
Fausto
F
Brunetti
Paolo
P
De Feo
Pierpaolo
P
D015992:Body Mass Index; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010819:Physician's Role
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin