Benefits of adding food education sessions to an exercise programme on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

To evaluate the impact of adding food education sessions to an exercise programme on cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), a randomised parallel-group study was performed. Glycated haemoglobin, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass (FM) and blood pressure were assessed at baseline and after 9 months. The recruitment was made in three primary healthcare centres from Vila Real, Portugal. Thirty-three patients (65⋅4 ± 5⋅9 years old) were engaged in a 9-month community-based lifestyle intervention programme: a supervised exercise programme (EX; n = 15; combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance and flexibility exercise; three sessions per week; 75 min per session); or the same exercise programme plus concomitant food education sessions (EXFE; n = 18; 15-min lectures and dual-task strategies during exercise (answer nutrition questions while walking); 16 weeks). Significant differences between groups were identified in the evolution of BMI (P < 0.001, $\eta _{\rm p}^2 = 0{\cdot} 150$ ) and FM (P < 0.001, $\eta _{\rm p}^2 = 0{\cdot}130$ ), with best improvements observed in the EXFE group. The addition of a simple food education dietary intervention to an exercise programme improved body weight and composition, but not glycaemic control and blood pressure in middle-aged and older patients with T2D.

The effects of diabetes self-management programs on clinical and patient reported outcomes in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The pooled treatment effect of diabetes self-management program interventions in older adults on systolic blood pressure did not result in a statistically significant reduction (-2.20 mmHg; 95% CI-5.49, 1.08; p =0.19), regardless of the length of duration of the program ( 25 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 38 , 39 ). Similarly, although the pooled treatment effect of diabetes self-management program interventions in older adults on diastolic blood was statistically significant (-1.48 mm/Hg; 95% CI -2.73, -0.24; p =0.02) ( 25 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 38 , 39 ), the reduction is clinically negligible.…”

“…The pooled treatment effect of diabetes self-management program interventions in older adults on BMI was a reduction of 0.31 (95% CI -0.51, -0.06; p <0.01) ( Figure 4 ) ( 25 , 27 , 28 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 39 ). The self-management program intervention strategy that was most effective in improving BMI was psychological emphasis (-0.53; 95% CI -0.65, -0.41; p <0.01).…”