Stepping Up Physical Exercise Among Nigerian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: The Impact Of A Domesticated Type 2 Diabetes-Oriented Exercise Education Curriculum

Abstract

Background: Most diabetes patients in Nigeria either do not exercise at all or do not exercise appropriately and this is thought to be due partly to an inadequate exercise education.
Objectives: To investigate the impact of a type 2 diabetes-oriented exercise education curriculum (T2DEEC) on exercise performance and adiposity of type 2 diabetes patients.
Materials and Methods: The patients (n=86) were randomized into either the T2DEEC or the control groups. The T2DEEC was administered to patients in the T2DEEC group while the controls were encouraged to exercise but did not go through the T2DEEC. The participants continued exercises at home for 12 weeks. Outcomes were amount of time and days spent on each of aerobic, resistance, joint mobilization and foot care exercises per week; waist circumference, body mass index, and percent body fat.
Results: By the 12^th week, the T2DEEC participants increased their exercise days from 1.2 to 3.8 days and increased aerobic, resistance, joint mobilization and foot care exercise times by 56.5, 42.3, 39.8 and 28.1 minutes respectively (p<0.05). The controls only increased their aerobic exercise time by 5.1 minutes (p=0.141) and maintained zero exercise times for resistance, joint mobilization and foot care exercises. Also the T2DEEC group but not the controls recorded significant improvements (p<0.05) in adiposity variables.
Conclusions: The participants who were taught with the T2DEEC unlike those who received verbal encouragement to exercise improved their exercise performance and adiposity parameters significantly. The T2DEEC is recommended for exercise education of type 2 diabetes patients.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, exercise education, joint mobilization, aerobic activities, curriculum