Diabetaction - Programme d'exercices pour personnes diabétiques de type 2 ou à risque : effets sur la pratique d'activités physiques, la condition physique, la qualité de vie et différents paramètres de santé

摘要

Developed within the context of Health Canada’s Canadian Diabetes Strategy, the DiabetAction project aims atnreducing sedentarity-associated risks in type 2 diabetic or at-risk individuals. Based on guidelines of well-recognized associations,nscientific knowledge and publications, focus groups conducted with target groups, and professional expertise ofnthe multidisciplinary team members involved, the DiabetAction program was developed. In the first manuscript of the thesis,nthe program is described as well as its links with focus group findings and physical activity guidelines for diabetic individuals.nArticles 2, 3, and 4 cover the program evaluation in university settings and its implementation in communitybasednsettings. First, it is of note that the preliminary study conducted in university settings was associated with improve- ments for those who took part in at least 50% of the group sessions: physical activity level, aerobic capacity, handgripnstrength, body mass, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, high density lipoprotein, resting heart rate, and blood pressuren(second article). Some of those changes contributed to the reduction of the metabolic syndrome prevalence measurednpostintervention. In the third article, it was shown that quality of life parameters also improved postintervention. Thosenchanges were mainly attributable to improvements in aerobic capacity, handgrip strength, body mass, and skinfold thickness.nFinally, it is reported in the fourth article that subjects who took part in DiabetAction in community-based settingsnincreased their physical activity level as well as improved fitness, hemodynamic, and quality of life parameters. However,nmost of those changes were also observed in the control group. Program efficacy in community-based settings thus remainsnto be determined, even though participants reported a high satisfaction level towards it, perceived improvements innimportant parameters, and maintained many positive changes up to 6 months postintervention.