Abstract
This study aims to investigate the effects of a three-month personalized exercise intervention on the physical, psychological, and metabolic outcomes of elderly individuals with diabetes in the Qidong community. The ultimate goal is to provide evidence for developing strategies and measures to prevent and treat geriatric diabetes and its complications in primary hospitals within the specific social context of urban communities. A single-group pre-post intervention study without a control group was conducted among 105 elderly patients with diabetes at the Physical Examination Center of Qidong Third People's Hospital from 2023 to 2024. The intervention lasted for 3 months and included weekly personalized exercise sessions combined with wearable smart monitoring devices and 3 times weekly self-exercise feedback via smartphones. Changes in psychological status, physical functions (including body mass index [BMI], waist-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and blood pressure), and metabolic indicators (such as fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, and glycated hemoglobin) were assessed before and after the intervention using paired t-tests. After the three-month intervention, significant improvements were observed in the physical, psychological, and social functions of elderly diabetic patients (P <.05). Specifically, body weight decreased by 4.95 kg, BMI decreased by 1.68 kg/m2, and body fat percentage decreased by 1.65%, while lung capacity increased significantly (P <.05). No significant changes were observed in heart rate, while diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and hip circumference showed mild downward trends without statistical significance (P >.05). After the intervention, fasting blood glucose decreased by 1.22 mmol/L, glycosylated hemoglobin, type A1C decreased by 0.92%, and triglycerides decreased by 0.32 mmol/L, whereas serum high-density lipoprotein increased by 0.23 mmol/L (all P <.05). Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein showed slight but non-significant reductions (P >.05). Through the implementation of a structured exercise intervention program supported by general practitioners and specialized medical staff, primary hospitals partially improved exercise capacity and scientific health management among elderly patients with chronic diseases. These findings preliminarily demonstrate the potential benefits of integrating exercise intervention into community-based diabetes management and may provide a reference for the future development of integrated medical and preventive care models for geriatric chronic diseases.