Barriers to exercise in obese patients with type 2 diabetes

Background: Although regular exercise is a critical component of the management of type 2 diabetes, many patients do not meet their exercise targets. Lack of exercise is associated with obesity and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Aim: We aimed to assess exercise habits in obese Irish patients with type 2 diabetes to determine if patients are adhering to exercise guidelines and to identify perceived barriers to exercise in this group. Design: A cross-sectional study of obese patients with type 2 diabetes attending routine outpatient diabetes clinics at our institution, a public teaching hospital located on the outskirts of Dublin City. Methods: A total of 145 obese patients with type 2 diabetes were administered a questionnaire to evaluate exercise habits and perceived barriers to exercise. Anthropometric details were measured. Results: About 47.6% (n = 69) of patients exercised for < 150 minutes per week (40% of males, 62% of females; P = 0.019) and these patients had a higher body mass index than those meeting targets (35 vs. 33.5 kg/m(2); P = 0.02). Perceived barriers to exercise were varied, with lack of time and physical discomfort being the most common. Reported barriers to exercise varied with age, gender and marital status. Conclusions: This study highlights the challenges facing clinicians in improving exercise levels in patients, and the need to identify the specific barriers to exercise in the individual to improve health outcomes.