Objective

Purpose: Two questions were addressed: (1) How much physical activity do patients with diabetes perform? (2) What are the perceived factors that prevent patients from doing more physical activity? Research design and methods: Interview based questionnaires were distributed to consecutive patients attending the Diabetes Clinic, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee over a period of five months. Exclusion criteria were age below 20 years and inadequate understanding of English; 428 questionnaires were given out with 406 completed. Results: Physical activity was undertaken by 34% of patients with diabetes and only 9% of these patients exercised sufficiently to achieve a large change in heart rate or breathing. The main reasons for inactivity included perceived difficulty taking part in exercise, feelings of tiredness, and being distracted by something good on television. Lack of time and lack of local facilities also contributed. Conclusions: Few patients with diabetes participate in physical activity, and in those who do the level of intensity is low. There are many modifiable factors distracting patients from exercise.

More research is needed which not only investigates the most economical and effective methods to promote physical activity, but also the best setting to conduct physical activity consultations and the participant factors affecting uptake of physical activity in Type 2 diabetes.

with diabetes and no neuropathy (70 ± 2.9years). The temporal and spatial parameters of gait were evaluated using the GAITRite walkway. Subjects undertook four walks under normal walking conditions (single task); four times while simultaneously undertaking an additional motor task, carrying a tray with cups of water (dual task); and four times whilst undertaking a cognitive dual task, counting backwards in sevens. This arithmetic task was also completed in sitting.Results: For all gait variables there was a statistically significant difference between the groups. Subjects with DPN walked slower and with smaller steps compared to those with diabetes. In general the secondary task had a significant and adverse effect on the gait parameters and this effect was greater for those with DPN in both absolute and relative terms. Both groups had poorer arithmetic ability when walking compared to sitting. Discussion:Patients with DPN have different gait parameters to diabetic patients without neuropathy. Problems with divided attention when walking were more evident in the DPN group and may increase their risk of falls.