Exercise Behavior in a Community Sample with Diabetes: Understanding the Determinants of Exercise Behavioral Change

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with exercise behavior among adults with diabetes.

Methods: Exercise behavior (stage of exercise readiness and energy expenditure) and potential determinants were measured on a subsample (n = 46) of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes from a randomized population-based telephone survey. Participants were assessed at baseline and at a 6-month follow-up.

Results: Sociodemographic and biomedical characteristics did not significantly differ between the stages of exercise behavior. Scores on the psychosocial constructs of self-efficacy, behavioral processes, self-concept, and social support were significantly higher for those in the action stage than those in the preaction stage of exercise readiness. Self-efficacy and behavioral process of change were significantly associated with energy expenditure; self-efficacy was the strongest predictor in the longitudinal analysis.

Conclusions: These findings may generate direction for theory development and guide health and medical practitioners when intervening on the specific constructs. Population- and community-based surveys have utility for assessing diabetes health-related behavior (e.g., exercise behavior).