Aim To investigate the associations between diabetes and musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Self-reported data were provided by the nationwide Danish National Health Survey 2013. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 40 years and known diabetes status. The exposure variable was diabetes, and the outcome variables included musculoskeletal pain during the last 14 days in three body sites (back/lower back, limbs, and shoulder/neck), osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, BMI, education, marital status, and physical activity were performed. Results 9,238 participants with diabetes were 65.6 ± 11.0 (mean ± SD) years old; 55.6% were males. 99,980 participants without diabetes were 59.2 ± 11.8 years old; 46.7% were males. Diabetes was associated with back/lower back pain (OR 1.2 (CI 95% 1.1-1.2), p < 0.001), pain in the limbs (1.4 (1.3-1.4), p < 0.001), shoulder/neck pain (1.2 (1.1-1.3), p < 0.001), osteoarthritis (1.3 (1.2-1.4), p < 0.001), osteoporosis (1.2 (1.1-1.4), p = 0.010), and rheumatoid arthritis (1.6 (1.4-1.7), p < 0.001). In participants with diabetes, physical activity was associated with reduced pain (e.g., back/lower back pain (0.7 (0.6-0.7), p < 0.001)). Conclusion Diabetes was associated with elevated odds of having musculoskeletal pain. Diabetes was also associated with elevated odds of having osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The most frequent disease in individuals with diabetes was osteoarthritis. The reported pain may have negative impacts on the level of physical activity. Health-care professionals should remember to inform patients with diabetes that musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis are not contraindications to exercise training.

Background: Intradialytic exercise is an effective intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality and increase quality of life among patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis. However, implementing and sustaining it in clinical practice has proved challenging. To identify how to best design an effective and sustainable intervention in clinical practice, we aimed to explore hemodialysis patients’ and nurses’ attitudes towards intradialytic exercise, including their motivation, anticipated barriers, and suggestions for the design of a proposed exercise program. Methods: Data were collected through qualitative semistructured interviews with patients and focus group interviews with nurses and analyzed inductively with content analysis. Results: Overall, patients’ and nurses’ attitudes towards intradialytic exercise were positive. Patients were motivated by their expectations about perceived benefits, such as improved quality of life and reduced musculoskeletal pain. Their main concern was triggering dialysis machine alarms and disturbing nurses. Nurses were more skeptical of intradialytic exercise and concerned about patient safety. Patients and nurses had several ideas on how to design a safe and motivating intradialytic exercise intervention. Conclusion: The analysis of patients’ and nurses’ experiences and attitudes generated recommendations for an intradialytic exercise program. Recommendations include individually tailored programs that are safe and that patients can do independently, continuous collaboration between patients, nurses, physicians, and physiotherapists, and educating nurses about the benefits and safety of intradialytic exercise.

Aims: The aim was to investigate the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking, motivation to change lifestyle and health advices from general practitioners (GPs) in individuals with diabetes. Methods: Data were provided by the Danish National Health Survey 2013 and 7504 adults (⩾ 40 years) with diabetes were included. Educational level was used as SEP indicator and categorized into low, middle and high SEP. Dependent variables included physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, motivation to change lifestyle and GP lifestyle advices. Multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, body mass index and ethnic background were performed. Results: Higher SEP were associated with reduced odds of being physically inactive (middle SEP odds ratio (OR) men 0.58 (95% confidence intervals 0.47–0.72) and women 0.59 (0.47–0.75)) and non-smoking (middle SEP OR men 0.74 (0.59–0.93) and high SEP OR women 0.54 (0.38–0.77)) compared to participants with a low SEP. Alcohol consumption above the recommended maximum was associated with high SEP in men, OR 1.83 (1.30–2.61). Elevated SEP was associated with a motivation to increase physical activity levels (middle SEP OR men 1.45 (1.19–1.76) and women 1.35 (1.09–1.67)), high SEP was associated with none advice from GPs regarding smoking cessation among women, OR 0.47 (0.25–0.89). Conclusions: Socioeconomic position was strongly associated with lifestyle in individuals with diabetes. The most pronounced inequalities were found in physical activity levels, smoking status and the motivation to become more physically active. Municipalities and GPs may need a greater focus on SEP in interventions to change lifestyle in individuals with diabetes.

Introduction Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (snus and nicotine pouches) are prevalent among youth and young adults in Denmark. Here, we examined the extent of changes in the use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco during the first COVID-19 lockdown in March and April 2020 in Denmark as well as reasons for changed behavior. Methods This study used data from a nationwide survey conducted among 15- to 29-year-olds from January to March 2021 including 13,530 respondents (response rate = 36.0%). Logistic regression analyses assessed the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and the odds of initiating or increasing as well as trying to stop or decreasing cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use. Results The prevalence of cigarette smoking was 17.8% and 10.5% reported using smokeless tobacco. Around 40% of those currently smoking cigarettes reported smoke on par during the COVID-19 lockdown as before, 24.5% started to smoke or increased their smoking, and 27.4% tried to stop or smoked less. Approximately 37% used smokeless tobacco on the same level as before the COVID-19 lockdown, 38.8% initiated or used more, and 14.1% tried to stop or used less. Females were more prone to initiate smokeless tobacco use and increase their level of smoking during the lockdown, and younger participants smoked less. More females compared with males changed their smoking behaviors due to their mood, and more younger participants did so due to fewer social gatherings. Conclusion Although most youths and young adults’ tobacco behaviors remained the same during the COVID-19 lockdown, many also increased or decreased their behaviors – especially females and younger participants. Implications This study enables the possibility of detecting new tendencies in smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco among subgroups of the population during the COVID-19 lockdown. This knowledge is crucial for identifying which groups of youths are vulnerable to increasing their tobacco use in other pandemic situations and which groups call for special attention after the lockdown period. Future efforts may focus on vulnerable groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as females, and there is a need to monitor closely whether youth tobacco use changes as society becomes more normalized.