Research Outputs
Association between walking pace and diabetes: Findings from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017
Background: Walking pace is a well-known indicator of physical capability, but it is also a strong predictor of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, there is a lack of evidence on the association between walking pace and T2D, specifically, within developing countries such as Chile. Aim: To investigate the association between self-reported walking pace and T2D in the Chilean adult population. Methods: 5520 Chilean participants (aged 15 to 90 years, 52.1% women) from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016–2017 were included in this cross-sectional study. Both walking pace (slow, average, and brisk) and diabetes data were collected through self-reported methods. Fasting blood glucose (reported in mg/dl) and glycosylated haemoglobin A (HbA1c) scores were determined via blood exams. Results: In the unadjusted model, and compared to people who reported a slow walking pace, those with average and brisk walking pace had lower blood glucose levels (β = −7.74 mg/dL (95% CI: −11.08 to −4.40) and β = −11.05 mg/dL (95% CI: −14.36 to −7.75), respectively) and lower HbA1c (β = −0.34% (95% CI: −0.57 to −0.11) and β= −0.72% (95% CI: −0.94 to −0.49)), respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic, Body Mass Index and lifestyle factors, the association between glycaemia and HbA1c remained only for brisk walkers. Both the average and brisk walker categories had lower odds of T2D (OR: 0.59 (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.84) and (OR 0.48 (95% CI: 0.30 to 0.79), respectively). Conclusion: Brisk walkers were associated with lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels. Moreover, average to brisk walking pace also showed a lower risk for T2D.
Revertir la diabetes mellitus Tipo 2 a través de la pérdida de peso corporal no es una misión imposible
La Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 (DMT2) es una enfermedad multifactorial que ha incrementado en las últimas cuatro décadas, pasando de 153 millones de personas diabéticas en el mundo en el año 1980 a 382 millones de personas el año 20131,2, estimándose que su prevalencia aumentará a 552 millones para el año 20353. Su desarrollo se relaciona principalmente con el exceso de peso corporal, inactividad física y una alimentación no saludable prolongada4-6. Si bien hay estudios randomizados de intervención de alta calidad, realizados en personas pre-diabéticas que sugieren que el mejorar el estilo de vida (actividad física y alimentación) podría ser efectivo en prevenir o retrasar su aparición7, hasta la fecha no existían estudios de calidad y con un tamaño muestral adecuado que demostrasen que una intervención no farmacológica, es decir, mediante cambios en los estilos de vida orientados a la pérdida de peso corporal, es efectiva en revertir la DMT2 y sus complicaciones, en pacientes que ya estén con tratamiento farmacológico para esta enfermedad.