Niveles de actividad física en personas con diabetes residentes en España

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the level of physical activity in people with diabetes, depending on their characteristics. Methods: The sample consisted of 81 participants with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and belonging to a diabetes care association. First of all, the participants completed the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Questionnaire online. Subsequently, they indicated their sex, age, type of diabetes, the presence of other complications and the years since diagnosis. In addition, data on consumption of tobacco and alcohol, glycosylated hemoglobin and fasting glucose were collected. For the analysis of the data, t-test for independent samples was used to compare means between categories, always with a level of significance of p <.05. Furthermore, effect size was calculated through Cohen’s d. Finally, the frequency and the percentage of the variables were calculated. Findings: The results showed in all the categories an average level of physical activity higher than the recommendations of physical activity for people with diabetes, being the level of physical activity predominantly moderate. Although women also complied with the recommendations for physical activity, their level of physical activity was significantly lower than the level of men Conclusions: It is recommended to expand the research on the barriers and motivations found by people with diabetes to practice physical activity, playing special attention to women with diabetes