Physical activity practices among adults with diabetes: a clinical survey on management of diabetes mellitus at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus has become a serious health concern whose prevalence has reached pandemic
proportion. Studies have shown that exercise is the single most important factor for successful
management among people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Exercise is seen as a possible yet underutilized
tool in the management of diabetes (Paul and Heerden, 2004). The current study investigated
exercise practices in the management of diabetes by adult diabetics at KNH in Nairobi, Kenya. It
assessed the diabetic patients' physical activity (PA) level in terms of total MET- minutes/week and
determined the relationship between the PA level and the diabetics' age, gender, type of diabetes,
duration of the condition and knowledge on exercise. The subjects comprised 140 diabetic patients
who had been diagnosed to have diabetes mellitus. The results indicated that a large percentage
(46.1%) of diabetics are not exercising as required for the management of diabetes mellitus. It was
also found that the extent of engagement in exercise/physical activity is highly associated with the
diabetics' age, type of diabetes, duration of the condition and knowledge on exercise. This study
recommends that the medical institution and exercise professionals strengthen the existing exercise
therapy regime through in-depth patient and medical staff education on exercise. They should also
design exercise prescription manuals to be used in this region and programs for each group of
diabetics to ensure adherence to exercise protocols and procedure