The effect of diabetes exercise, brisk walking, and dietary management on blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background and Study Aim. Effective lifestyle interventions are essential for identifying strategies to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes exercise, brisk walking, and dietary management are commonly applied approaches that support glycemic control and overall well-being. Although these interventions are widely practiced, their relative effectiveness in improving blood glucose regulation remains a matter of practical interest. From a pedagogical perspective, such interventions are also important in the context of health education by promoting safe exercise practices and culturally relevant approaches to sustaining healthy lifestyles. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effectiveness of these three interventions in lowering blood glucose levels and supporting health education. Materials and Methods. This study employed a randomized pretest-posttest experimental design with three intervention groups: diabetes exercise (Group 1), brisk walking (Group 2), and dietary management (Group 3). A total of 30 patients (23 women and seven men), aged 41–80 years (mean = 58.4 ± 10.76), were recruited according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Groups 1 and 2 underwent 12 sessions of supervised exercise (Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, 06:00–07:00). Each session consisted of 30 minutes of core training and 30 minutes of warm-up and cool-down activities. Diabetes exercise (Group 1) was performed with slow-to-moderate music rhythms. Brisk walking (Group 2) was conducted at 4–6 km/h. Group 3 received dietary guidance through a structured food manual outlining portion sizes, food types, and nutritional content. Blood glucose levels were measured using an Autocheck GCU 3-in-1 device. Results. In Group 1, mean blood glucose levels decreased from 243 (pretest) to 193 (posttest), a reduction of 50. Group 2 decreased from 205 to 160, a reduction of 45. Group 3 decreased from 196 to 161, a reduction of 34. The Wilcoxon test indicated significant reductions within each group (Group 1: p = 0.001 < 0.05; Group 2: p = 0.000 < 0.05; Group 3: p = 0.001 < 0.05). However, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference among the three groups (p = 0.078). Conclusions. Diabetes exercise, brisk walking, and dietary management significantly reduced blood glucose levels after 12 sessions. However, no significant differences were observed among the three interventions. These findings highlight the importance of lifestyle-based strategies focused on physical activity and dietary regulation to improve short-term glycemic control. Future studies should consider larger sample sizes, the inclusion of control groups, and the evaluation of long-term outcomes and adherence. In addition, the results underline the pedagogical value of integrating safe exercise and dietary practices into health education programs.