Diabetes and physical activity: A prospective cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• The global population is aging, leading to an increase in diabetes prevalence.
• Physical activity is crucial for diabetes prevention, yet it tends to decrease with age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate physical activity differences based on diabetes status in mid-aged adults.
• To analyze how this association evolves over time.
• To identify sociodemographic and health factors associated with physical activity in relation to diabetes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from four waves of the longitudinal How Areas in Brisbane Influence HealTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) study.
• Employed Random effects/Expectation-maximisation (RE-EM) regression trees to analyze factors influencing physical activity.
• Examined physical activity in adults with and without diabetes, both separately and combined.

Main Results:

• Adults with diabetes were older (median 58 years) and had lower physical activity (699 MET.min/week) compared to those without diabetes (53 years; 849 MET.min/week).
• Body mass index (BMI) and gender were identified as stronger predictors of physical activity than diabetes status.
• Key factors influencing physical activity included BMI and gender, irrespective of diabetes status.

Conclusions:

• Promoting physical activity is essential for all adults, particularly those with high BMI and women.
• Targeted interventions are needed for individuals with diabetes or at high risk.
• Public health strategies should consider BMI and gender when encouraging physical activity in mid-aged populations.