AUTHOR=Koyama Kelly Akemi Kikuti , Araujo Monique Yndawe Castanho , Morais Luana Carolina de , Lemes Italo Ribeiro , Fernandes Rômulo Araújo , Turi-Lynch Bruna Camilo , Sarti Flávia Mori , Delacosta Thais Cristina , Monteiro Henrique Luiz , Codogno Jamile Sanches 

TITLE=Relationship Between Physical Activity Level and Primary Care Costs in Older Diabetic Patients From a Middle-Size Brazilian City: An Eight-Year Follow-Up Study

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 70 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1607605

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2025.1607605

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objective: Physical activity and costs have been consistently related each other, but mostly in crosssectional investigations. This study aims to investigate the relationship between changes in physical activity level and changes in healthcare costs among older diabetic adults in an eight-year follow-up study.The study followed 151 diabetic adults ≥50 years of age, for a period of 8 years, who were patients of Basic Health Care Units in the city of Bauru (Brazil). Medical records were consulted to obtain information on healthcare costs. Physical activity level was assessed through an interview. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and linear regression.Results: Participants who increased leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 accumulated less health care costs from 2020 to 2018. The magnitude of the relationship was small (r= -0.233 [95%CI: -0.379 to -0.076]).In summary, among diabetic patients, to increase leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 was inversely related to the amount of health care costs spent over the same period of eight years.