title: The burden of physical activity on type 2 diabetes public healthcare expenditures among adults: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Determinants of public healthcare expenditures in type 2 diabetics are not well investigated in developing nations and, therefore, it is not clear if higher physical activity decreases healthcare costs. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between physical activity and the expenditures in public healthcare on type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study carried out in Brazil. A total of 121 type 2 diabetics attended to in two Basic Healthcare Units were evaluated. Public healthcare expenditures in the last year were estimated using a specific standard table. Also evaluated were: socio-demographic variables; chronological age; exogenous insulin use; smoking habits; fasting glucose test; diabetic neuropathy and anthropometric measures. Habitual physical activity was assessed by questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age (r = 0.20; p = 0.023), body mass index (r = 0.33; p = 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0.20; p = 0.025) were positively related to expenditures on medication for the treatment of diseases other than diabetes. Insulin use was associated with increased expenditures. Higher physical activity was associated with lower expenditure, provided medication for treatment of diseases other than diabetes (OR = 0.19; p = 0.007) and medical consultations (OR = 0.26; p = 0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type 2 diabetics with higher enrollment in physical activity presented consistently lower healthcare expenditures for the public healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education. UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jamile S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Codogno
authors.forename: Rômulo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Flávia M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sarti
authors.forename: Ismael F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Freitas Júnior
authors.forename: Henrique L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin