Pedometer improves doctor´s advive to enhance physical activity in type 2 diabetes

Background. Physical activity is an essential tool for managing type 2 diabetes. It is also an important predictor of late complications. Most of type 2 diabetes patients are not active enough. So far no drug has been found to increase physical activity. Usually, routine doctor’s short advice to increase physical activity does not seem to be very effective. The aim of the study was to examine, if providing a pedometer with 7 days memory might improve the effectiveness of doctor’s advice. Material and methods. 30 men and women with type 2 diabetes were included into the study. The mean age of patients was 57 years. Participants were randomly assigned to the pedometer or control group. In the control group only an oral advice to increase physical activity was given. In the pedometer group additionally to oral advice the level of physical activity was assessed at baseline, after 1 and 5 weeks in both study groups. Results. Participants in the pedometer group achieved significantly higher level of physical activity after 1 and 5 weeks than those in thze control group. In the control group no difference was observed between physical activity at baseline and after 5 weeks. Conclusions. Oral advice has small effect on time spent on walking among patients with type 2 diabetes. Providing a pedometer with internal memory makes such advice more effective.