More than Half of Adults with Diabetes Hindered from
Needed Exercise by Painful Arthritis
CDC study says 29.8% of adults with arthritis and
diabetes were totally inactive
Both arthritis and diabetes are common chronic
diseases among senior citizens - click chart for larger view.
May 6, 2008 - Physical activity is important for
adults suffering with diabetes but a new study says more than half of
these patients also have arthritis, which is often a painful barrier to
exercise.
The study was released by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in today′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Nationwide, 46.4 million adults have arthritis and
20.6 million adults have diabetes, with nearly 7 in 10 having had
diabetes diagnosed by a health professional. Research shows that
engaging in joint-friendly activities such as walking, swimming, biking
can help manage both conditions.
The study, Arthritis as a Potential Barrier to
Physical Activity among Adults with Diabetes: United States, 2005 and
2007, analyzed data on the prevalence of physical inactivity among
adults with arthritis and diabetes in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and U.S. territories.
The study suggests that the presence of arthritis
acts as an additional barrier to physical activity among those with
diabetes. The study found that 29.8 percent of adults with arthritis and
diabetes were inactive, compared with 21.0 percent of people with
diabetes alone, 17.3 percent of those with arthritis alone, and 10.9
percent of adults with neither condition.
The study also found that the percentage of adults
with diabetes and arthritis who are physically inactive varied among
states, ranging from 20.2 percent in California to 46.4 percent in
Tennessee.
People who have arthritis, diabetes or both
benefit from being physically active, said Janet Collins, Ph.D.,
director, CDC′s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion.
We know it can be difficult, but regular physical
activity helps in many ways. For people with diabetes, physical activity
helps control blood glucose and risk factors for complications. For
people with arthritis, physical activity reduces pain, and improves
function.
Adults with arthritis and diabetes have unique
barriers to being physically active such as concerns about pain,
aggravating or worsening joint damage, and not knowing how much or what
types of physical activity are safe for them.
These concerns must be addressed for adults with
both conditions to become more physically active.
These findings suggest more needs to be done to
help people with diabetes and arthritis get physically active to improve
their health, said Chad Helmick, M.D., a CDC medical epidemiologist and
co-author on the study.
Engaging in regular physical activity and
maintaining a healthy weight can help alleviate the pain and disability
that often accompany arthritis.
Disease self-management classes, including exercise
programs that address arthritis-specific barriers, may help adults with
arthritis and diabetes better manage their disease. Programs proven to
be effective in managing arthritis, such as the Chronic Disease
Self-Management Program, the Arthritis Foundation′s Exercise Program,
and Enhance Fitness, are available in many local communities nationwide.
For more information, visit CDC′s Arthritis Web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/intervention.
For general information about diabetes, visit CDC′s
Diabetes Public Health Resource Web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes.
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