Knowledge is not power for people with type 2 diabetes
While most people with diabetes are well informed about their disease and have good access to health care, this knowledge has not generally led to healthy behavior for those with type 2 diabetes1, according to a study undertaken to better understand diabetes and the disease burden. Findings were presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 71st Annual Scientific Sessions.
SHIELD (The Study to Help Improve Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes) is the largest nongovernmental study of its kind.2 AstraZeneca sponsored the study.
“The American Diabetes Association and National Diabetes Education Programs have resulted in a significant increase in awareness - a big change over the past decade,” said Dr James R Gavin III, MD, PhD, Emory University School of Medicine and SHIELD investigator. However, Dr Gavin added, “SHIELD confirmed it is time we move well beyond awareness. We need patients who are informed and take the next step in behavior modification.”
According to SHIELD authors, 87% of 3,867 type 2 diabetes respondents in the baseline survey said they knew that obesity can aggravate or contribute to the onset of chronic disease.
Yet, while 70% of type 2 diabetes respondents said they had tried to lose weight over the previous 12 months, only 34% said they had maintained the desired weight for more than six months. As for exercise, 63% of 3,897 type 2 diabetes patients reported their health professional had recommended an increase in physical activity in the last 12 months, yet 87% reported they were inactive within the last seven days. Nearly one in five individuals with type 2 diabetes (17%) reported they’d rather take medicine for their health problems rather than changing their lifestyle, and 5% reported they didn’t even bother to try and stay healthy.3
The presence of a comorbid condition was not enough to motivate healthy behavior. SHIELD results indicated respondents who reported comorbid cardiovascular disease or moderate coronary heart disease risk had negative health attitudes and were not employing healthy behaviors: 74% of 1,150 very high risk individuals (those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease) reported they did not exercise regularly and 67% of very high risk patients had tried to lose weight in the past 12 months.4
“It is clear we have done a good job at building awareness,” said Dr Gavin. “With over two-thirds of US adults overweight or obese,5 more than 70% of adult Americans engaged in minimal physical activity,6 and diabetes, particularly type 2, growing at epidemic rates,7 we need a different approach that is more intervention-based, and SHIELD data can inform the direction.” said Dr Gavin.
1 Green et al. Health Related Behaviors of People with Diabetes and Those with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: Results from SHIELD. International Journal of Clinical Practice. 2007. 61:7:1794-1796
2 Bays et al. Prevalence of self-reported diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and associated risk factors in a national survey in a US population: SHIELD (Study to Help Improve Early Evaluation and Management of Risk Factors Leading to Diabetes). BMC Public Health. 2007. 7:2-7
3 Bazata et al. Affecting Behavior Change in Individuals with Diabetes. Findings from SHIELD (Study to Help Improve Early Evaluation and Management of Risk Factors Leading to Diabetes). Diabetes Educator. 2008; 34:1028;Table 2
4 Robinson et al. Preventive Cardiology. 2009;12:4;Table 3
5 NIDDK. Statistics Related to Weight and Obesity. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm. Accessed June 10, 2011.
6 http://www.mayoclinic.org/medicalprofs/treating-managing-obesity.html, Accessed June 10, 2011.
7 International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 4th Ed. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2009.
