Physical Activity and Plasma Glucose Control among Diabetic Patients Attending Outpatients Clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam

Reaching the recommendation on physical activity (PA) for health is highly important to effectively manage blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aims of this study were to assess the level and pattern of PA among T2D outpatients and to relate PA levels to glucose control. A cross-sectional study was conducted in outpatient clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam. PA levels were reported using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) version 2.0. Participants meeting the WHO recommendations on PA for health or not were respectively categorized as “sufficiently active” and “insufficiently active”. FPG < 7.2 mmol/L was defined as controlled plasma glucose. In total, 407 participants with T2D (55% women, mean (SD) age 61.6 (9.7) years) were included. The fraction of T2D outpatients reporting as insufficiently active was 21%. The lowest amount of energy expenditure was from transport activities (travel from and to places). On multivariate logistic regression, being sufficiently active was associated with a two-fold increased likelihood of having better glycemic control. The findings warrant action plans to increase physical activity in general and in specific active transport for T2D patients in Vietnam.