Validation of a counseling strategy to promote the adoption and the maintenance of physical activity by type 2 diabetic subjects

OBJECTIVE - There is enough evidence that physical activity is an effective therapeutic tool in the management of type 2 diabetes. The present study was designed to validate a counseling strategy that could be used by physicians in their daily outpatient practice to promote the adoption and maintenance of physical activity by type 2 diabetic subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The long-term (2-year) efficacy of the behavioral approach (n = 182) was compared with usual care treatment (n = 158) in two matched, randomized groups of patients with type 2 diabetes who had been referred to our Outpatient Diabetes Center. The outcome of the intervention was consistent patient achievement of an energy expenditure of >10 metabolic equivalents (METs)-h/week through voluntary physical activity. RESULTS - After 2 years, 69% of the patients in the intervention group (27.1 +/- 2.0 METs X h/week) and 18% of the control group (4.1 +/- 0.8 METs X h/week) achieved the target (P < 0.001) with significant (P < 0.001) improvements in BMI (intervention group 28.9 +/- 0.2 versus control group 30.4 +/- 0.3 kg/m(2)) and HbA(1c) (intervention group 7.0 +/- 0.1 versus control group 7.6 +/- 0.1%). CONCLUSIONS - This randomized, controlled study shows that physicians can motivate most patients with type 2 diabetes to exercise long-term and emphasizes the value of individual behavioral approaches in daily practice.