Higher Levels of Physical Activity Are Associated With a Lower Risk of Abnormal Glucose Tolerance in Renal Transplant Recipients
published online 09 March 2009.
Objective
We investigated and compared diets and physical activity levels of renal transplant recipients (RTRs) with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), and we identified clinical risk factors for AGT.
Design
This study was cross-sectional and observational.
Setting
This study took place in a hospital's renal outpatient department.
Patients
Patients included adult RTRs with NGT and AGT.
Main Outcome Measure
All patients were assessed regarding age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist/hip ratio (WHR), percent body fat (measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), dietary intake (3-day diet diary), and physical activity (PA) levels (total minutes/week, using the Physical Activity Statewide Questionnaire).
Results
The RTRs with AGT (n = 47) were significantly more obese (P = .04) and more centrally obese (P = .05) than RTRs with NGT (n = 35). The mean self-reported dietary macronutrient and energy intake was not significantly different between groups. However, the total amount of PA (median) was significantly lower in RTRs with AGT versus RTRs with NGT (255 [median, range 0 to 1940] versus 580 [median, 75 to 1095] minutes/week, respectively, P = .03), particularly in female RTRs (P = .007). After logistic regression analysis, total PA was identified as an independent predictor of AGT in all RTRs (β = 0.940, R2 = 0.090, P = .04). Percent body fat according to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was inversely associated with a high level of PA (>300 minutes/week) (β = 0.906, R2 = 0.211, P = .003).
Conclusions
A higher amount of PA is associated with a lower risk of AGT in RTRs (particularly in females). An emphasis on increasing PA should be encouraged for all RTRs.
∗Department of Nephrology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
†Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
‡Centre of Clinical Research Excellence for Metabolic and Vascular Disease, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
§Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
¶Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Brisbane and Womens' Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Address reprint requests to Linda Orazio, BHSc (Hon), ARTs Building, 2nd Floor, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woollongabba, Brisbane, Queensland 4102, Australia.
This research was conducted at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woollongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
L.O. was supported by a grant from the Allied Health Research Scheme from Queensland Health and an Allied Health Research Scholarship from the Princess Alexandra Hospital Foundation. I.H. is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Australian Clinical Research Fellowship. This study was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Clinical Research Excellence Grant, Australia.
ABSTRACT