Successful Practices in Performing and Maintaining Physical Activity in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Study
Open accessAbstract
Physical activity has proven to be greatly beneficial in patients with DM2. However, few adhere to physical activity recommendations and are motivated to engage in regular physical activity and the numerous interventions conducted to change their habits tend to be unsuccessful in the long term. The objective in this research is to study patients who adhere to physical activity in order to guide patients who have not succeeded in making this change, assisted by the successful tools in the context of community nursing. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. The sample included 10 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who adhered to physical activity in Catalonia, Spain, having been selected using intentional sampling. We recorded semi-structured interviews with the participants and conducted a thematic analysis. Five categories were identified and grouped into two themes: (1) Integrate physical activity as a lifestyle (meaning of DM2 and physical activity, adaptation to change and strategies on a day-to-day basis, physical activity) and (2) Find support to change physical activity (company and personal motivational strategies). In conclusion, a good adherence to physical activity was achieved thanks to motivation maintained over time related to autonomous motivation and the psychological and physiological benefits that physical activity provides patients, external support and encouragement, and the allocation of time to adhere without making great lifestyle changes.
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Families were more likely to engage in regular physical activity if children or pets participated as well.
“Studies showed regular PA was more likely in a family when the children or pets were also involved in the activity.106,107”
From The Impact of Physical Activity in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (2025) · cites this paper as [106]
Friends and family social support is a major influence on physical activity.
“Social support from friends and family plays a large role in physical activity.”
From The Impact of Physical Activity in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (2025) · cites this paper as [106]
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- Authors
- Vilafranca Cartagena, M., Arreciado Marañón, A., Artigues-Barbera, E., & Tort-Nasarre, G.
- Affiliations
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science and Welfare, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC), Av. Universitària 4-6, 08242 Manresa, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Campus Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Balafia Primary Care Center, Av. de Rosa Parks. Gerència Territorial Lleida, Catalan Health Institute (ICS), 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, C/Montserrat Roig, 25198 Lleida, Spain
- ORCID
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2022-10-28
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 21
- Pages
- 14041
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9658001
- OpenAlex
- W4307948250
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 1.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Repositori ObertUDL (University of Lleida) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Keywords
- type 2 diabetes, physical activity adherence, exercise motivation, autonomous motivation, social support, community nursing, lifestyle modification, long-term behavior change
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Humans, Life Style, Motivation, Exercise, Qualitative Research
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