Type II diabetics

Type II diabetics

In adult Type II diabetics with a hemoglobin A1C of 7.0% or higher (P), can changing to a low carbohydrate diet and initiating weight bearing exercise such as walking 2 miles per day (I), compared to not changing diet and not exercising (C) lower hemoglobin A1C levels (O) in 6 months (T)?

1. Why was the study done?

This study was done, over a period of 8 years, to determine if a regular exercise program is beneficial in reducing hemoglobin a1c levels in patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus.

2. What is the sample size?

The sample size in this study is 65 patients, aged 33-69 years old. 35 participants for the experiment, 30 as the control.

3. Are instruments of the variables in the study clearly defined and reliable? 

Yes, the instruments of the variables in the study are clearly defined and reliable, especially considering the length of time over which this experiment was performed.

4. How was the data analyzed?

The data was analyzed by having the patients perform 15-40 minutes of exercise, three days per week and descriptive statistics was used for obtaining central and variation measures. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to determine the normality of data. Paired t-test was also used to compare the variables in each group before and after intervention. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software V.21 (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois, USA). The distribution of data was normal and P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant, a priori.

5. Were there any unusual events during the study? 

12 participants dropped out due to inconsistency with the program, 15 participants in the control group did not want to continue, and one participant died in a car accident. This left 38 participants, of which 30 were used for analysis (15 experiment, 15 control).

6. How do the results fit in with previous research in this area? 

Previous studies, similar to this one, also validate the fact that a regular exercise program can reduce BMI and reduce hemoglobin a1c levels in type II diabetics.

7. What are the implications of the research for clinical practice?

This study is useful in clinical practice because it contains real results and real statistics. As a health care provider, it is our duty to our patients to remain up to date on important topics. Diabetics is a worldwide problem and the more education we are able to provide to our patients, the better off they will be.

 

Reference

Najafipour, F., Mobasseri, M., Yavari, A., Nadrian, H., Aliasgarzadeh, A., Mashinchi Abbasi, N., Niafar, M., Houshyar Gharamaleki, J., & Sadra, V. (2017). Effect of regular exercise training on changes in HbA1c, BMI and VO 2 Max among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: An 8-year trial. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2017-000414