Physical activity for health: examining similarities and differences between patients with type 2 diabetes and their adult children

Abstract

In the face of a rising diabetes epidemic, a target population for prevention programme is the children of patients with type 2 diabetes. This study examined physical activity of patients with type 2 diabetes and that of their adult children, and characterized the factors associated with physical inactivity among the participants. This cross-sectional study involved 315 participants (185 patients and 130 adult children) recruited from two major hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at α =0.05. The prevalence of physical inactivity was 50.3% and 28.5% among parents and children respectively. Lack of awareness of physical activity benefits (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.22-3.66) and ignorance of parent’s diabetes status (OR = 3.21; 95% CI = 1.48-4.92) were both associated with increased risk of physical inactivity among the children. The risk was reduced by half among children of physically active parents (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.16-0.89); while increasing age, female sex and unemployment were associated with increased risk of physical inactivity in both parents and children. Physical inactivity was more prevalent in parents than their children. Aside sociodemographic characteristics which influenced physical activity in both groups, lack of knowledge of physical activity benefits, ignorance of parent’s diabetes status and physical inactivity of the parents were the factors that encouraged physical inactivity among the children. Educational efforts to step up physical activity among children of patients with type 2 diabetes are required.