Impact of Knowledge and Attitudes on Lifestyle Practices in Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health issue in Singapore. To shape healthcare policies for the primary prevention of diabetes, it is crucial to understand Singaporeans’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to diabetes and its prevention. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and lifestyles of individuals without diabetes. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was performed between 31 January to 3 February 2019 to examine knowledge, attitudes and practices related to diabetes. Inclusion criteria of the participants included: 1) Singaporeans/permanent residents, 2) between 30 to 64 years old, and 3) who did not have a diagnosis of diabetes. Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyse the association of knowledge and attitudes with physical activity and diet habits, respectively. Results: Among 806 participants, 72.2% did not meet the Health Promotion Board’s physical activity recommendation. Physical activity was associated with better diabetes knowledge (odds ratio [OR] 5.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.65-17.53, P = 0.049), stronger beliefs in diabetes prevention (OR 3.36, 95% CI = 1.02-11.12, P = 0.047) and lower levels of worry about diabetes (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-1.00, P = 0.049). Neither knowledge nor beliefs or worries about diabetes was associated with diet. Conclusion: There is a need to reinforce the importance of physical activity and healthy diet in preventing diabetes. Although improving the knowledge level of diabetes may increase physical activity of the population, it is unlikely to improve dietary choices without effective behaviour change interventions. Key words: Healthy diet, Physical activity, Singapore, “War on Diabetes”

Lay perceptions of diabetes mellitus and prevention costs and benefits among adults undiagnosed with the condition in Singapore: a qualitative study

“…Our findings align with a local study that showed high awareness of diabetes and perceived efficacy of preventative behaviours and shed some light on why actual uptake of these behaviours may be low despite the high knowledge [ 11 ]. Perceived severity of diabetes comes from the downstream complications of the later stages of T2D, which seem to be distant for those without T2D.…”

“…A household survey in 2019 found that 86% and 89% of participants agreed that healthy eating and exercise respectively, can control the risk of diabetes. However, only 37% ate the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, and 28% met HPB’s physical activity recommendation of 150 min/week [ 11 ]. To reach higher engagement in T2D prevention, the discrepancy between knowledge and practice needs to be addressed.…”

Efetividade De Um Programa De Educação De Enfermagem Em Pessoas Com Diabetes Tipo 2 Na Atenção Primária: Ensaio Clínico Randomizado

“…Houve predomínio de inativos que vivem com companheiro e, destaca-se a importância da figura do companheiro como contribuição para um ambiente de apoio no manejo do diabetes (8) .…”

“…Observa-se na literatura nacional e internacional, que os estudos sobre as atitudes psicológicas em diabetes tipo 2 demonstram que as pessoas enfrentam dificuldades para conviver com a condição, predominando emoções como a tristeza, o desgosto e a raiva diante do enfrentamento do diabetes, além do medo das complicações agudas e crônicas (3,4,6,7) . Quando conhecem suas próprias emoções o suficiente, as pessoas são capazes de contornar situações de estresse para fazer escolhas seguras e sentirem-se confortáveis em relação a sua condição crônica (8) .…”

“…Programas em diabetes que buscam investigar as atitudes psicológicas das pessoas com essa condição crônica são relevantes para conhecer suas dificuldades e compreender as formas de ajustamento emocional (8,9) . Logo, explorar as emoções dos participantes, seus problemas com o diabetes tipo 2 e possíveis soluções, contribui para o apoio mútuo entre as pessoas envolvidas no programa favorecendo ajustes positivos do bem-estar emocional (9) .…”