Summary
Physical activity consultation has been shown to be effective
in promoting physical activity levels for adults with diabetes
within controlled research settings – but few interventions
have been implemented into routine care. NHS Grampian
delivered a 12-month intervention for adults with diabetes
within the region over 30 months. Significant improvements
were observed in physical activity levels, BMI and several aspects of psychological wellbeing at 12-month
follow up. The low-cost intervention was feasible with high protocol fidelity, adoption by staff, positive
participant feedback. It proved to be a useful method of supporting people with diabetes and multiple
co-morbidities to increase their levels of physical activity and improve psychological wellbeing. This is
an encouraging finding in relation to the translation of research findings into everyday practice.
Challenge
Regular physical activity (150 minutes per week) provides substantial health benefits to people with type 2
diabetes, including better control of their condition, an improved cardiovascular risk profile, weight loss and
an improved quality of life. Promoting the benefits of physical activity (PA) requires no expensive resources
as it merely uses the dissemination of knowledge and experiences - but over 60% of patients with diabetes
do not meet the recommended levels of PA. The majority of published physical activity interventions have
been performed in a controlled research setting, with short duration and lack of long-term follow-up. It is
important to develop and evaluate interventions that are feasible and affordable within routine care.
Objectives
To explore the feasibility of delivering a physical activity intervention for adults within routine diabetes care. To
conduct a process evaluation to assess its impact, areas for improvement and consideration for wider spread.
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