The COVID-19 lockdown does not necessarily worsen diabetes control, in spite of lower physical activity — a systematic review

Abstract

REVIEWrupted this care, and patients with chronic diseases faced difficulties in obtaining medicine, follow-up, and monitoring of diseases status. Diabetes is a common chronic disease globally, with about 463 million people affected [7]. These diabetics need continuous care and must maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, in order to keep glucose levels within normal ranges. Failure to do so may result in another pandemic of complications, mortality, and increased burden on health systems [8].Service delivery and access to care have been affected by COVID-19. Furthermore, lockdowns and movement restrictions might also have affected people's lifestyles. These factors may affect the glycaemic control among diabetic patients. However, studies from different parts of the world have shown varying results. Some have shown improvement in glucose levels, while others have reported deterioration amid COVID-19 lockdowns. It is therefore necessary to synthesize the evidence and see how lockdowns have affected the diabetics. This systematic review therefore aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the glycaemic control, physical activity, and diet of diabetic patients.

How did lockdown and social distancing policies change the eating habits of diabetic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic? A systematic review

“…Even the results of studies from one continent or country were various. For example, we found that in all Japanese studies, patients gained weight during the lockdown and social distancing (Da Silva et al, 2020;Munekawa et al, 2020;Kishimoto et al, 2021;Tanaka et al, 2021;Aldukhayel, 2022;Maruo et al, 2022;Takahara et al, 2022). Capaldo et al (2020) represented a decrease in PPBS (1.04%), while Caruso et al, 2021 reported an increase in PPBS (1.45%) during the lockdown and social distancing.…”

Disruption of diabetes and hypertension care during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery approaches in the Latin America and Caribbean region: a scoping review protocol

“…Of 175 international systematic reviews identified in PubMed (date of search: 9 December 2022), 10 potentially relevant reviews described impact on glycaemic control,17–20 diabetic ketoacidosis21 and interventions to recover or sustain diabetes or hypertension care 22–26. Overall, improvements in glycaemic control were seen in high-income countries during the pandemic, likely reflecting a high motivation for diabetes self-management due to associations with COVID-19 outcomes, supportive care through teleconsultations, and easier meal-planning, improved sleep habits and reduced access to fast food when staying at home during movement restrictions 17 18. However, its worsening was observed in a small study from India (52 patients with type 1 diabetes)18 27 and in an early pandemic (April/May 2020) cross-sectional study in Brazil (1701 people with type 1 or 2 diabetes) 17 28.…”

“…Overall, improvements in glycaemic control were seen in high-income countries during the pandemic, likely reflecting a high motivation for diabetes self-management due to associations with COVID-19 outcomes, supportive care through teleconsultations, and easier meal-planning, improved sleep habits and reduced access to fast food when staying at home during movement restrictions 17 18. However, its worsening was observed in a small study from India (52 patients with type 1 diabetes)18 27 and in an early pandemic (April/May 2020) cross-sectional study in Brazil (1701 people with type 1 or 2 diabetes) 17 28. In India, disruptions to healthcare access (non-availability of insulin or glucose strips and financial difficulties) were named as underlying reason for deteriorations 18 27.…”

“…In India, disruptions to healthcare access (non-availability of insulin or glucose strips and financial difficulties) were named as underlying reason for deteriorations 18 27. In Brazil,17 28 where the majority of the 1701 survey respondents reported a deterioration of blood glucose monitoring, 38% had postponed medical appointments or routine examinations, for instance, because their appointments got cancelled due to understaffed healthcare facilities 17 28. The finding of a higher worldwide incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis during compared with before the pandemic further implies elevated needs for effective diabetes management 21…”

Home-Based High-Intensity Interval Exercise Improves the Postprandial Glucose Response in Young Adults with Postprandial Hyperglycemia

“…Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported to have no effect on glycated hemoglobin in diabetic patients, there is a relationship between decreased physical activity and increased glycated hemoglobin caused by telecommuting [ 16 ]. In fact, it has been reported that the amount of physical activity in diabetic patients is decreasing [ 17 ], and it is not certain what the long-term effects will be. Considering the disincentive for physical activity in the past and the social situation in recent years, to continuously correct postprandial hyperglycemia, we propose that exercise should be time-efficient and able to be performed anywhere.…”