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