Physical activity in users with Type 2 Diabetes in Family Health Centres in Copiapó

Abstract

Physical activity has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2)(1,2). However, only 13.3% of the Chilean population are physically active(3,4). To our knowledge, there is no data on the physical activity performed by the diabetic population in Chile. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the level of physical activity in patients with DM2 in the Family Health Centres (CESFAM) of Copiapó (Chile).The study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing data from 25 participants in the CODIACO cohort. The study population comprised individuals of both sexes, between 30 and 65 years of age, diagnosed with DM2 and users of the CESFAMs of Copiapó, and who also had mobile devices capable of installing the accelerometry application ‘Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite’. Pregnant and lactating women, patients with diabetic neuropathy or nephropathy, cancer, and severe inflammatory or infectious diseases were excluded. They were asked to activate and deactivate the application for 7 to 12 days, This mean the device had to be turned on at the beginning of an activity (waking) and off at the end of the day (bedtime), registering all daily activities. The percentages of time spent in each of the four body positions (upright, sitting, crouching, and lying down) were obtained from the total time spent using accelerometry(5). Once the Shapiro-Wilk test was P>0.05, all comparisons were made between times spent in each of the body positions using a one-factor ANOVA, with post-hoc analysis using Tukey’s test. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The CODIACO study was approved by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of the Universidad of Atacama. The project was funded by FONDECYT N° 11180794.There was an average daily activity of 9.6hr (upright = 2.2;sitting = 4.9;crouching = 0.7; supine = 1.6hr) in the sample. The one-factor ANOVA showed significant differences between all positions (P<0.001). The pos-Hoc test revealed a significantly longer time was observed in the sitting position, according to the z-axis position (51.32 ± 12.5% of the total time) compared to the upright (23.5 ± 8.7 %), supine (17.4 ± 3.2 %) or crouching (7.78 ± 0.6 %) positions (P < 0.050). Furthermore, differences were observed in the time spent in the upright position and the time spent in the supine (P<0.05) or crouching (P<0.05) positions, and between sitting and crouching positions (P<0.05).This study demonstrated that patients diagnosed with DM2 at the CESFAM of Copiapó spent a significant portion of their daily activity in a sedentary and low position, with minimal engagement in an upright one. Since upright positions are associated with physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, toileting, and cooking, obtaining 23.5% in this position suggests a lack of engagement in these activities.