ABSTRACT:
Diabetes is a chronic disease increasing in explosive pattern in India and Thanjavur is not an exception to it. Changes in socio-economic pattern and life styles may be important in addition to susceptible genes for the causation. Our studies are intended to find out the consequences of physical activity (walking) on the markers of glycemic status among diabetic subjects residing in Thanjavur town. Male subjects with the age groups 35-45, 46-55, and 56-65 years were selected and categorized as young, middle and old aged diabetic subjects. All the human volunteers were issued with a questionnaire to determine the eligibility for participation in the study. BMI was used as measure of relative body weight and was calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared by the method as given by WHO 1995. The blood was collected by venous arm puncture in heparinized and unheparinized tubes after an overnight fasting for the separation of plasma and serum. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and the levels of BMI were significantly elevated among the middle and old age diabetic subjects, when compared with the normal subjects. However the level of FBG and BMI was found to be significantly low to near to normal levels, among the different age groups of physically active diabetic subjects. Older diabetic subjects were found to have a low level of fasting insulin compared to other age groups. Physically active diabetic subjects showed no significant variation in their insulin levels among the different age groups. It is evident that FBG is positively and significantly correlated (P<0.01) with HbA1C and BMI. But, it is negatively and significantly correlated (P<0.01) with fasting insulin. Fasting insulin is shown to be negatively and significantly correlated (P<0.01) with the FBG, HbA1C and BMI.