Physical Activity Advice in Diabetics at Annual Review (PAADAR)

Type II diabetes is an important condition with a UK prevalence of 3.54% affecting approximately 2.5 million people across the country. Diabetics have a fivefold increased risk of cardiovascular disease and over 65% of diabetics will die from coronary heart disease or stroke. Exercise is one of the management tools along with medication and weight reduction available to improve diabetic control reducing morbidity and mortality. Exercise promotion might be more effective at a population level if it could be incorporated in a simple form as part of pre-existing routine care. This case control study seeks to assess the effectiveness of written exercise advice given to Type II diabetics at the time of their annual review. The study will be open to all Type II diabetics in a single general practice attending their routine nurse led annual review. The intervention uses leaflets prepared as part of a previous study the Time2Act study and assessment will be by self-reported questionnaires. Follow up will be over 12 months but the study design will allow for longer durations. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of exercise as an intervention but have often been hospital-based and used exercise interviews as the main intervention rather than incorporating exercise advice into structures already established in routine Primary Care. If this study demonstrates that a simple intervention carried out as part of routine care has a positive effect if only at a low level then disseminating this knowledge across the country would bring significant benefits to Type II diabetics.