The Effects of the Self-directed Programs on Food Consumption, Exercise, Body Weight and Blood Sugar Levels among Diabetic Patients in Muang District, Lopburi Province The Effects of the Self-directed Programs on Food Consumption, Exercise, Body Weight and Blood Sugar Levels among Diabetic Patients in Muang District, Lopburi Province

Abstract

Managing blood sugar levels is important to prevent diabetic complications. The aim of this research was to study the effects of self-directed programs on food consumption, exercise, body weight and blood sugar levels among patients with diabetes mellitus in Muang District, Lopburi Province. The sample consisted of 60 diabetic patients recruited by using inclusion criteria. The simple random sampling procedure with a lottery method was used to assign 30 patients into the control group and 30 patients into the experimental group. The experimental group received the self-directed program that was taken 8 weeks to complete. Data were collected through interviews with food consumption, exercise behavior, and body weight, blood sugar levels. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation. Comparison of mean scores on food consumption behavior, exercise, and body weight and blood sugar levels before and after the treatment used paired t-test. Comparison of mean scores on food consumption behaviors exercise, body weight and blood sugar levels before and after the experiment between experimental group and control group employed independent t-test. The results found that mean scores on food consumption behavior, exercise score in the experimental group had increase significantly after completing the program at the .05 level while the mean weight gain and blood glucose levels in the experimental group had decrease significantly after completing the program at the .05 level. The comparison between experimental and control group showed mean scores on food consumption behavior and exercise scores in experimental group were significantly higher than those control group at the .05 level and got mean scores on weight gain, blood sugar level scores in experimental group were significantly lower than those control group at the .05 level.

The results show that the self-directed programs had a significant effect on diabetic patients on food consumption, exercise behavior, body weight and blood sugar level. The self-directed program is useful to prevent diabetic complications for diabetic patients who cannot control blood sugar level. This program can apply to other chronic disease.