• Benson Wg Ang, Mui Yee Tan, Cheryl My Goh, Sylwan Rahardja, Beatrice Y Lim, Wenqi Chiew, Thurston Yj Heng, Kuang Ian Tan, Jenies Hx Foo, Sarah Zl Tham, Jason Ks Chng, Wei Jie Seow, and Nan Luo.
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
• Ann Acad Med Singap. 2019 Aug 1; 48 (8): 247-263.

IntroductionDiabetes mellitus is a major public health issue in Singapore. To shape healthcare policies for the primary prevention of diabetes, it is crucial to understand Singaporeans' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to diabetes and its prevention. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and lifestyles of individuals without diabetes.Materials And MethodsA cross-sectional household survey was performed between 31 January to 3 February 2019 to examine knowledge, attitudes and practices related to diabetes. Inclusion criteria of the participants included: 1) Singaporeans/permanent residents, 2) between 30 to 64 years old, and 3) who did not have a diagnosis of diabetes. Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyse the association of knowledge and attitudes with physical activity and diet habits, respectively.ResultsAmong 806 participants, 72.2% did not meet the Health Promotion Board's physical activity recommendation. Physical activity was associated with better diabetes knowledge (odds ratio [OR] 5.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.65-17.53, P = 0.049), stronger beliefs in diabetes prevention (OR 3.36, 95% CI = 1.02-11.12, P = 0.047) and lower levels of worry about diabetes (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-1.00, P = 0.049). Neither knowledge nor beliefs or worries about diabetes was associated with diet.ConclusionThere is a need to reinforce the importance of physical activity and healthy diet in preventing diabetes. Although improving the knowledge level of diabetes may increase physical activity of the population, it is unlikely to improve dietary choices without effective behavior change interventions.

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