Patterns of Physical Activity Adherence by Adolescents With Diabetes or Obesity Enrolled in a Personalized Community-Based Intervention

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a personalized, 16-week community-based physical activity intervention for adolescents with diabetes or obesity and examine the weekly patterns of adherence to the intervention.

Methods

Physical activity adherence was evaluated throughout the intervention using accelerometers in 46 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (N = 22), type 2 diabetes (N = 12), or obesity (N = 12) (age, 14.4 ± 1.5 years; 56.5% female; 61% Hispanic). Of these, 39 completed the intervention, and 7 did not.

Results

There were no differences in baseline anthropometric characteristics or fitness between the completers versus noncompleters. Completers began above 1060 metabolic equivalent (MET) min/wk⁻¹and stayed above 900 MET min/wk⁻¹ for ~4 weeks and declined 39 MET min/wk⁻¹ until end of study. Noncompleters began at 924 MET min/wk⁻¹ yet dropped below 800 MET min/wk⁻¹ by end of week 1 and declined an average of 151 MET min/wk⁻¹. Interestingly, self-report of barriers to activity were higher in completers versus noncompleters.

Conclusions

Findings highlight that adolescents completing the intervention could sustain a prescribed level of personalized activity for at least 1 month but had steadfast declines in weekly activity. Even with individualized programs, factors other than barriers to activity need to be considered when designing approaches to physical activity adherence for adolescents with diabetes or obesity.