Neighborhood walkability, physical activity and changes in glycemic markers in people with type 2 diabetes: The Hoorn Diabetes Care System cohort

Health Place. 2021 May:69:102560. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102560. Epub 2021 Mar 21.

Abstract

Studies investigating neighborhood walkability and physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) mainly used self-report measures, and only few studies assessed the association with glycemic control. This study assessed the associations between objectively measured (i.e. GIS based) and subjectively measured (i.e. questionnaire-based) neighborhood walkability and changes in glycemic markers in people with T2D, and whether this association was mediated by device-measured physical activity (PA), in the Diabetes Care System Cohort (n = 1230). Neither objective or subjectively measured walkability was associated with glycemic control. In mediation analyses we observed no overall mediation by PA.

Keywords: Accelerometer; Built environment; Glycemic control; Objective measurement; Physical activity; Subjective measurement; Walkability.

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
  • Environment Design
  • Exercise
  • Humans
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Walking