PERCEPTION OF DIABETIC PATIENTS OVER THE NEED FOR A LIFESTYLE CHANGE

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic condition with high incidence and prevalence in the world population which leads to impaired quality of life and high costs of treatment. Changes in habits are essential for disease control and prevention of its grievances. This study aimed to analyse the importance of patient’s awareness about the relevant factors for its control in a group of patients seen in endocrinology care task force. METHOD: Cross-sectional analytical quantitative study conducted by the League of Metabology, Endocrinology and Nutrology of the University of Fortaleza in an endocrinology care task force in Aratuba, Ceará, Brazil. Diabetic patients responded semi-structured questionnaire containing data such as age, gender, adherence to a balanced diet, physical activity and its importance for the control of DM. The patients signed the Free and Informed Consent Form. The incomplete questionnaires were excluded. Data were analysed using the SPSS Statistics Base software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: 21 patients were analysed, 80.95% were women and 19.05% men, ages ranging 13-77 years, mean 45 years. When asked if have a balanced diet, 42.8% said yes and 57.1% said no, while 71.4% recognized the importance of a balanced diet for the diabetic. Asked about physical activity, 38.1% patients practiced exercises and 61.9% did not practice it, with 76.2% recognizing their importance for diabetic control. We conclude that, even knowing about the importance of diet and exercise in diabetes control, most of the sample analysed does not perform such practices.