Assessment of effect of applying the transtheoretical model to physical activity on health indexes of diabetic type 2 patients

ABSTRACT

About 3 million [3-5 percent] of Iranian population have diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of physical activity training on the participants' health indexes [fast blood sugar, HBA1c, body mass index, lipids of blood, pulse rate and blood pressure] based on the transtheoretical model [ a kind of behavior change model] among type 2 diabetic patients in 2007. In this quasi-experimental study with a before and after design, 32 patients with type 2 diabetes who were the member of the Iranian Diabetes Society were selected according to the inclusion criteria by non-probable [simple] sampling. Data regarding to the participants' health methods before and after 1.5 and 3 months physical activity training sessions. Some health indexes of the participants, including FBS, HBA1c, TG, LDL, were improved significantly after 3 months of the study [P<0.05] which demonstrates the positive effect of doing exercises on patients. Moreover, the quality of doing each exercise was also significantly improved [P<0.05] Based on the transtheoretical model the stages of patients' physical activity were improved and most of them were categorized in the maintenance stage after 3 months. This study confirms the positive impact of physical activity training on the participants' health indexes based on the transtheoretical model among type 2 diabetic patients and recommends doing exercise regularly