Effect of pedometer use on regulation of blood plasma glucose in diabetic and prediabetic individuals in Aydin, Efeler Province

Aim and hypotesis: The study has three phases. In the first step which aims to determine the status, 18 years and older type 2 diabetic and prediabetic individuals who live two different urban areas separated by the proximity of the walking path in the province of Aydin, Efeler were identificated. The aim of the second stage, the intervention phase; is to measure the effect of the use of pedometers on blood sugar regulation in order to promote walking in determined diabetic and prediabetic individuals. The aim of the qualitative phase, the third phase; is evaluate their disease management and intervetion process experience diabetic and prediabetic individuals who were included in intervention and control groups. Methods: The determination of the current status phases conducted in two different urban areas which are close and faraway from walking paths in Aydın, Efeler Province. At this stage, participants were surveyed and their height, weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference were measured. Their venous blood, fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c parameters were examined. At the intervention phases, individuals in both the intervention and control groups were informed about diabetes, diet and exercise; in addition, pedometeres were given to encourage walking for the intervention group. At the end of the four-month follow-up period, the measurements were repeated and the change between the measured values at the beginning and end of the study was assessed. At the end of the intervention phase, one session focus group interview was conducted with nine participants selected from the intervention and control groups. Results: The frequency of diabetes in the study was 17.2% and 47.5% of them were newly diagnosed. The frequency of prediabetes is 55.2% and 94.5% of them are new diagnoses. The mean age of all participants was 49.18 while the diabetes patients were older with an mean age of 55.9. The weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist / hip ratio, fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c values of patients in the intervention group were significantly decreased. In the control group, hemoglobin A1c values decreased significantly. The reduction in HbA1c was 0.95% in the control group and 2.26% in the intervention group. The frequency of diabetes, which was 20.3% in the intervention group, declined to 10.8% after intervention. Except for the effect of pedometer use, in the intervention group, HbA1c level of the patients living in the area close to the walking path was decrased 3.14%; and remote areas was decrased 1.97%. In the control group, the HbA1c level of the patients living near the walking path decreased by 1.94% compared to the baseline. In the qualitative phase of the study factors that affect diabetes management are nutrition, active life and stress-free life and financial difficulties; among the factors affecting the regular walking, public pressure, air pollution and the seasons are at the forefront. Conclusion: Pedometer use in patients with diabetes and prediabetes is an effective method of blood sugar regulation. Even the diet recommendation alone provided recovery in the HbA1c value. It has been seen that living in the area close to the walking path has a positive effect on the HbA1c values. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Aerobic exercise, Interventional research, Qualitative research