Lifestyle Changes in Diet and Physical Activities after Group Education for Type 2 Diabetes—The Active Ingredient in the Education. A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Diabetes self-management education (DSME) for patients with type 2 diabetes requires efficient teaching methods that make patients want to change lifestyle in terms of their diabetes. The study looks at what may be the active ingredient in this DSME. Objective: To explore how participants in DSME, with an interactive learning method, experienced changes in relation to diet and physical activity. Method: We studied possible changes in diet and physical activity by semi-structured individual interviews of 16 participants attending DSME. Results: Before the DSME, the participants felt insecure about what to eat, and they expressed little interest in changing their physical activity. Just after the DSME, they were more optimistic about diet because they had learned how to interpret food labels and compose their meals. Furthermore, they had experienced the benefit of physical activity in relation to their blood glucose levels. Behavior changes appeared to persist the following half year. We discuss the findings in light of the principles of interactive learning. The participants experienced an effect of their behavior changes, and blood glucose measurement was used as a tool to gain control and reach a state of well-being. Conclusion: From being insecure about what to eat, the patients acquired knowledge to handle their diet through the DSME. They learned how to compose their meals and use physical activity to regulate their blood glucose. We suggest that the interactive learning used in the DSME was an active ingredient that led to changes in behavior and should be considered as an educational method in DSME for patient with type 2 diabetes.

The effect of self-care training programs on lifestyle and breast self-examination of immigrant Afghan women

“…The findings are also in line with those of the study by Rygg et al . [ 24 ] conducted in Norway, according to which an engaging teaching method could encourage the participants to control their diet, exercise, and regulate their blood glucose level by learning what type of food to eat. In fact, people gain the ability to take responsibility for their own health, and on the other hand, providing self-care information has increased the knowledge and confidence of participants in self-care training programs.…”

The Global Burden of Type 2 Diabetes Attributable to Dietary Risks: Insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

“…The upward trajectory in both T2DM mortality and DALYs over the past three decades can be attributed to a myriad of factors, including population aging and growth and increases in urbanization and modernization, which foster sedentary lifestyles and obesity [26]. Over the years, the shift toward unhealthy diets and reduced physical activity further aggravates the risks, calling for initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles [27]. The observation that mortality rates associated with T2DM fluctuated in high-income countries over the study period stands in stark contrast to the rapid increasing mortality rates witnessed in other regions, especially low-and middle-income countries.…”

Repetisjon – en strategi for å opprettholde gode levevaner for personer med diabetes type 2

“…Det var motiverende for deltakerne å møtes for å utveksle erfaringer. Betydningen av å gjøre noe praktisk støttes av tidligere studie om interaktive laeringsmetoder i mestringskurs der deltakerne ved å laere å tolke matvareetiketter og sette sammen sine egne måltid bidrog til endring i kostholdet (Rygg et al, 2017). Erfaringsutveksling om kosthold og matlaging ble spesielt fremhevet, men også gjensidig støtte ved fysisk aktivitet ble av deltakerne trukket frem som viktig.…”

“…Gruppebaserte kurs, høg mestringsevne, sosial støtte og veiledning er faktorer som har en klar sammenheng med personens egenomsorg og blodsukkerverdier (Gao et al, 2013;Rygg et al, 2012;Azami et al, 2018). Det er vist at personer med diabetes type 2 som gjennomfører mestringskurs, får kunnskap til å endre kostholdet, laerer hvordan de kan regulere blodsukkeret med fysisk aktivitet og at dette bidrar til opplevd forbedring og velvaere (Rygg, Lohre & Hellzen, 2017). Sosial støtte fra et godt sosialt nettverk kan sammen med gode levevaner gi en viss beskyttelse mot de viktigste grunnene for tidlig død.…”