Physical activity, and improvement in health-related quality of life among Australian middle-aged and older adults living with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Physical inactivity is a major global public health concern and a recognized risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people with T2DM using longitudinal data remains underexplored. We aim to identify the improvement in HRQOL associated with physical activity in Australian middle-aged and older adults using population-based longitudinal data.

Data for this study were drawn from waves 9, 13, 17, and 21 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. We constructed an unbalanced panel consisting of 2,472 person-year observations from 1,270 unique individuals living with T2DM. We used a random effects Generalized Least Squares (GLS) model to examine the relationship between physical activity and HRQOL in people with T2DM.

The regression results showed that physical activity is positively associated with physical component summary (PCS), mental components summary (MCS), and health state utility value (SF-6D). People with T2DM engaging in physical activity less than once or 1 or 2 times per week had a higher mean score for PCS (β = 4.28, 95% CI: 3.38, 5.17), MCS (β = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.38, 3.34), and SF-6D utility value (β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.05) than their counterparts engaged in no physical activity. Similarly, engaging in physical activity three times daily per week had a further elevated mean score for PCS (β = 6.65, 95% CI : 5.72, 7.60), MCS (β = 3.75, 95% CI: 2.71, 4.79), and SF-6D utility value (β = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.08).

Our results showed that physical activity is positively associated with improved HRQOL among people with T2DM. Public health initiatives should prioritize health education and community programs to promote physical activity across all demographics to enhance HRQOL in people living with T2DM.