Effect of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Improving Health-Related Quality of Life in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Alireza Babaei  Mazreno; Farzaneh  Taghian; Khosro Jalali  Dehkordi; Esmaeil  Babaei

doi:10.18502/tbj.v24i2.19666

Alireza Babaei Mazreno Ph.D. Student of Sports Physiology, Isfahan(khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
Farzaneh Taghian Professor, Department of Sports Physiology, Isfahan(khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
Khosro Jalali Dehkordi Associate Professor, Department of Sports Physiology, Isfahan(khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
Esmaeil Babaei Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Geriatric Ophthalmology Research center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Science, Yazd, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/tbj.v24i2.19666

Keywords: Aerobic Exercise, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Quality of Life, Mental Health, Physical Fitness.

Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases that significantly affects the quality of life of affected individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on improving health-related quality of life in women with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pre-test/post-test design with a control group. Thirty women aged 40 to 50 with type 2 diabetes, who had at least three years of membership in the Diabetes Center of Yazd Province, were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). Both groups completed the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire before the intervention. The experimental group then participated in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for eight weeks, three sessions per week, each lasting 50 minutes. At the end of the intervention, both groups completed the questionnaire again. Ultimately, the data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26) software.

Results:The mean and standard deviation of the quality of life score in the pre-test and post-test stages in the control group were 54/44 and 54/49, respectively, while in the training group they were 45/41 and 71/39, respectively. Therefore, there was a significant difference between the quality of life in the training and control groups.

Conclusion: The results showed that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise significantly improved quality of life in all dimensions (physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, role limitations due to emotional problems, energy/fatigue, emotional health, social functioning, pain, and general health).