Relationship between pedometer-registered activity, aerobic capacity and self-reported activity and fitness in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between pedometer-registered activity, aerobic capacity (VO(2 max)) and self-reported activity and fitness in patients with type 2 diabetes before and after a 12-week exercise programme.
METHODS: Twenty-nine men with type 2 diabetes (age=57.4 (7.8) years, BMI=31.7 (2.8) kg/m(2)) underwent exercise testing, registered pedometer activity and reported their physical fitness and activity in a questionnaire. Participants were randomly allocated to an exercise (EX) group (n=15) or a control (CO) group (n=14). Participants in EX group were offered supervised exercise twice a week for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, participants again underwent exercise testing, fasting blood tests and registration of pedometer activity.
RESULTS: At baseline, pedometer activity correlated with VO(2 max) (r=0.43, p=0.02) and with perceived physical fitness (r=0.48, p=0.02). After, but not before, intervention, pedometer activity and VO(2 max) additionally correlated with perceived everyday activity (r=0.62, p<0.01 and r=0.49, p=0.03, respectively). Both EX and CO groups tended to increase pedometer activity. In EX group, weight decreased by 2.7% (p=0.01), VO(2 max) increased 10.6% (p=0.03) and HbA1c decreased by 5.2% from baseline (p=0.02). In EX group, an increase in pedometer activity correlated with a fall in HbA1c (r=0.84, p<0.01) and in diastolic blood pressure (r=0.77, p=0.025).
CONCLUSIONS: Pedometer activity correlates with VO(2 max) in type-2 diabetic patients. Our exercise programme was well tolerated; it produced favourable effects on body weight, aerobic capacity and metabolic control. The use of pedometer may lead to more realistic assessment of perceived everyday physical activity.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes