THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 30 MINUTES OF WALKING ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS IN SEDATI GEDE VILLAGE

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) in older adults is associated with impaired glucose regulation and reduced insulin sensitivity. Physical activity, including walking, is a non-pharmacological strategy that can increase skeletal-muscle glucose utilization. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of 30 minutes of walking on blood glucose levels among elderly patients with DM in Sedati Gede Village, Sidoarjo. A pre-experimental study using a randomized control group pretest-posttest design was conducted among 15 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Respondents were divided into five groups of three: a control group without a scheduled walking program and four intervention groups performing 30 minutes of walking for 3, 7, 10, or 14 days. Blood glucose levels were measured using a glucometer before and after the intervention. Paired Samples T-Test was used to assess pre-post changes within groups, while One-Way ANOVA was used to compare mean reductions among the five groups. The mean reductions were 10.33 mg/dL in the control group, 35.53 mg/dL in the 3-day group, 7.10 mg/dL in the 7-day group, 15.17 mg/dL in the 10-day group, and 14.07 mg/dL in the 14-day group. The One-Way ANOVA showed F = 0.408 with p = 0.799 (p > 0.05), indicating no statistically significant difference in reduction among the five groups. Nevertheless, all scheduled walking groups demonstrated clinically lower mean glucose levels after intervention, and the 14-day group showed the most consistent pattern of glycemic control. Regular walking may support glucose utilization through skeletal-muscle GLUT-4 activity. The absence of a significant between-group difference was likely related to the very small sample size and uncontrolled confounding factors.