TY - GEN
T1 - Physical activity behaviors, associated parameters, and the feasibility of an online physical exercise intervention in individuals with diabetes
AU - Mortensen, Sofie Rath
PY - 2024/5/16
Y1 - 2024/5/16
N2 - IntroductionDiabetes has become one of the fastest growing public health challenges of the 21st century. The
incidence of disability and morbidity caused by diabetes has increased significantly in the last
decades. Engagement in regular physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management, not only
to prevent long-term complications and premature mortality, but also to improve overall well-being
and health. While the evidence and recommendations are clear on providing physical activity in
prevention and treatment of diabetes, increasing and maintaining physical activity in individuals
with diabetes remains challenging. Understanding physical activity behaviors and how to improve it
in individuals with diabetes needs to be investigated from different perspectives to understand why
regular engagement in physical activity can be a major challenge. Aim
The overall aim of this thesis is to provide detailed descriptions of physical activity characteristics,
determinants, and patterns among Danish individuals with diabetes sampled from recent populationbased studies and to evaluate the feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of an online physical exercise
intervention combined with group sessions to increase and maintain physical activity in individuals
with type 2 diabetes.MethodsPaper I was performed as a nationwide cross-sectional study using data from the Danish National
Health Survey from 2017. The primary outcome measure was weekly moderate to vigorous
physical activity (MVPA). Exposures included self-reported number of chronic conditions, body
mass index (BMI), perceived stress, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Mean differences in
MVPA across exposures were estimated by multiple linear regression analyses.Paper II and III were performed as cross-sectional studies, both using data from the Danish
household-based, mixed rural-provincial population study, The Lolland-Falster Health Study from
2016-2020. Participants were categorized into diabetes, prediabetes, and no diabetes based on their
HbA1c level and self-reported use of diabetes medication. For Paper II, the outcome was physical
activity in terms of intensities and timing of engagement in activity assessed with a lower-back
worn accelerometer, and exposure was diabetes status (diabetes, prediabetes, no diabetes). The
outcomes in Paper III were total daily sedentary activity, sedentary bouts, and breaks in sedentary activity assessed with thigh-worn and lower back-worn accelerometers, and exposures were wellbeing and stress. Finally, Paper IV was designed as a one-armed feasibility study and the
intervention was developed using a co-creation approach. Individuals with type 2 diabetes were
recruited for eight weeks of 30-minute online physical exercise intervention followed by 30-minute
online group meetings in smaller groups once a week. Outcomes included pre-defined research
progression criteria, secondary measurements of health parameters, and participant feedback.Results
Paper I: Among individuals with diabetes, 40% were insufficiently physically active. Having three
or more comorbidities were associated with lower weekly MVPA (-0.48 h/week, 95% CI -0.88; -
0.07) compared with participants with no comorbidities. Furthermore, overweight or obese
individuals engaged in less weekly MVPA (obese class III vs. normal weight: -1.98 h/week, 95%
CI -2.49; -1.47). Higher perceived stress was associated with lower weekly MVPA (-1.76 h/week,
95% CI -2.18; -1.34) vs. low perceived stress. An association between low HRQoL and lower
weekly MVPA was found when compared to those with moderate or high HRQoL (physical
HRQoL: -0.93 h/week, 95% CI -1.19; -0.66 and mental HRQoL: -0.39 h/week, 95% CI -0.71; -
0.08).Paper II and III: Of participants with diabetes, 63% did not adhere to the WHO recommendations of
weekly MVPA, while numbers of participants with prediabetes and no diabetes were 60% and 50%,
respectively. Around a third of those with diabetes were highly inactive (<5 min/day of MVPA)
daily and had >2 consecutive days of inactivity. Mean time spent physically active daily at any
intensity was lowest among participants with diabetes. Higher well-being was associated with lower
total sedentary activity in participants with diabetes (-1.1 min/day, 95% CI -2.0; -0.2) and
participants with prediabetes (-0.6 min/day, 95% CI -1.1; -0.05). No association was found between
stress and sedentary activity.Paper IV: Most research progression criteria reached a level of acceptance, with exception of
participant recruitment, burden of objectively measured physical activity, and adverse events related
to the intervention, where changes are needed before continuing to an RCT.ConclusionOur findings showed that on a nationwide level, 40% of individuals with diabetes do not meet the
WHO recommendations of physical activity. The objectively measured physical activity findings showed that 63% of individuals with did not adhere to the WHO recommendations. The
associations analyses revealed that the prevalence of comorbidities, higher BMI, higher perceived
stress, and lower HRQoL were significantly associated with lower engagement in weekly MVPA in
individuals with diabetes. Further, higher well-being contributed to lower daily sedentary activity.
This underscores the necessity for tailored interventions that recognize these factors to enhance
physical activity engagement. Thus, an intervention combining online physical exercise and group
sessions may be a feasible approach to accommodate some of these factors and other barriers to
participating in physical activity. Altogether, the findings of this thesis emphasize the importance of
acknowledging differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviors among individuals with
diabetes and how these differences could be accounted for and integrated into future tailored
interventions to enhance physical activity engagement in this population.
AB - IntroductionDiabetes has become one of the fastest growing public health challenges of the 21st century. The
incidence of disability and morbidity caused by diabetes has increased significantly in the last
decades. Engagement in regular physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management, not only
to prevent long-term complications and premature mortality, but also to improve overall well-being
and health. While the evidence and recommendations are clear on providing physical activity in
prevention and treatment of diabetes, increasing and maintaining physical activity in individuals
with diabetes remains challenging. Understanding physical activity behaviors and how to improve it
in individuals with diabetes needs to be investigated from different perspectives to understand why
regular engagement in physical activity can be a major challenge. Aim
The overall aim of this thesis is to provide detailed descriptions of physical activity characteristics,
determinants, and patterns among Danish individuals with diabetes sampled from recent populationbased studies and to evaluate the feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of an online physical exercise
intervention combined with group sessions to increase and maintain physical activity in individuals
with type 2 diabetes.MethodsPaper I was performed as a nationwide cross-sectional study using data from the Danish National
Health Survey from 2017. The primary outcome measure was weekly moderate to vigorous
physical activity (MVPA). Exposures included self-reported number of chronic conditions, body
mass index (BMI), perceived stress, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Mean differences in
MVPA across exposures were estimated by multiple linear regression analyses.Paper II and III were performed as cross-sectional studies, both using data from the Danish
household-based, mixed rural-provincial population study, The Lolland-Falster Health Study from
2016-2020. Participants were categorized into diabetes, prediabetes, and no diabetes based on their
HbA1c level and self-reported use of diabetes medication. For Paper II, the outcome was physical
activity in terms of intensities and timing of engagement in activity assessed with a lower-back
worn accelerometer, and exposure was diabetes status (diabetes, prediabetes, no diabetes). The
outcomes in Paper III were total daily sedentary activity, sedentary bouts, and breaks in sedentary activity assessed with thigh-worn and lower back-worn accelerometers, and exposures were wellbeing and stress. Finally, Paper IV was designed as a one-armed feasibility study and the
intervention was developed using a co-creation approach. Individuals with type 2 diabetes were
recruited for eight weeks of 30-minute online physical exercise intervention followed by 30-minute
online group meetings in smaller groups once a week. Outcomes included pre-defined research
progression criteria, secondary measurements of health parameters, and participant feedback.Results
Paper I: Among individuals with diabetes, 40% were insufficiently physically active. Having three
or more comorbidities were associated with lower weekly MVPA (-0.48 h/week, 95% CI -0.88; -
0.07) compared with participants with no comorbidities. Furthermore, overweight or obese
individuals engaged in less weekly MVPA (obese class III vs. normal weight: -1.98 h/week, 95%
CI -2.49; -1.47). Higher perceived stress was associated with lower weekly MVPA (-1.76 h/week,
95% CI -2.18; -1.34) vs. low perceived stress. An association between low HRQoL and lower
weekly MVPA was found when compared to those with moderate or high HRQoL (physical
HRQoL: -0.93 h/week, 95% CI -1.19; -0.66 and mental HRQoL: -0.39 h/week, 95% CI -0.71; -
0.08).Paper II and III: Of participants with diabetes, 63% did not adhere to the WHO recommendations of
weekly MVPA, while numbers of participants with prediabetes and no diabetes were 60% and 50%,
respectively. Around a third of those with diabetes were highly inactive (<5 min/day of MVPA)
daily and had >2 consecutive days of inactivity. Mean time spent physically active daily at any
intensity was lowest among participants with diabetes. Higher well-being was associated with lower
total sedentary activity in participants with diabetes (-1.1 min/day, 95% CI -2.0; -0.2) and
participants with prediabetes (-0.6 min/day, 95% CI -1.1; -0.05). No association was found between
stress and sedentary activity.Paper IV: Most research progression criteria reached a level of acceptance, with exception of
participant recruitment, burden of objectively measured physical activity, and adverse events related
to the intervention, where changes are needed before continuing to an RCT.ConclusionOur findings showed that on a nationwide level, 40% of individuals with diabetes do not meet the
WHO recommendations of physical activity. The objectively measured physical activity findings showed that 63% of individuals with did not adhere to the WHO recommendations. The
associations analyses revealed that the prevalence of comorbidities, higher BMI, higher perceived
stress, and lower HRQoL were significantly associated with lower engagement in weekly MVPA in
individuals with diabetes. Further, higher well-being contributed to lower daily sedentary activity.
This underscores the necessity for tailored interventions that recognize these factors to enhance
physical activity engagement. Thus, an intervention combining online physical exercise and group
sessions may be a feasible approach to accommodate some of these factors and other barriers to
participating in physical activity. Altogether, the findings of this thesis emphasize the importance of
acknowledging differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviors among individuals with
diabetes and how these differences could be accounted for and integrated into future tailored
interventions to enhance physical activity engagement in this population.
U2 - 10.21996/jf2b-zj82
DO - 10.21996/jf2b-zj82
M3 - Ph.D. thesis
PB - Syddansk Universitet. Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet
ER -