“It’s a Life Thing, Not a Few Months Thing”: Profiling Patterns of the Physical Activity Change Process and Associated Strategies of Women With Prediabetes Over 1 Year

Engagement in regular physical activity (PA) is a cornerstone prevention strategy for individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Interventions targeting PA often fail to result in long-term behaviour changes. “Small Steps for Big Changes” is a 3-week diabetes prevention program that promotes PA behaviour changes in individuals with prediabetes through motivational interviewing-informed counselling. In this study, we aimed to: a) profile patterns of women’s perceived PA journey over 1 year and b) understand strategies used to engage in and maintain PA. Fourteen women (mean age, 60 years) engaged in 4 semistructured interviews (preprogram, postprogram and 3 and 12 months postprogram) over 1 year (56 total interviews). A trajectory approach was used, coupled with a deductive‒inductive thematic analysis. Findings are presented descriptively and chronologically over 1 year. To address the first study aim, 4 patterns emerged: a) consistently inactive: minimal change; b) increase and maintenance of PA levels; c) peak in and maintenance of PA levels and d) consistently active: minimal increase, yet maintenance. Generally, women reported higher PA levels after completing the Small Steps for Big Changes program compared with preprogram levels. Related to the second aim, a range of facilitators and barriers were identified, as well as strategies used to facilitate engagement in and maintenance of PA over 1 year. Participants reporting more strategies to engage in PA were more likely to engage in PA. Commonly used strategies include being self-compassionate and practicing self-regulatory techniques (e.g. goal-setting, planning, self-monitoring). Diabetes prevention programs that assist participants in utilizing relevant PA strategies during an intervention may witness long-term maintenance of PA behaviour. L’engagement dans une activité physique (AP) régulière est la pierre angulaire de la stratégie de prévention pour les individus exposés au risque de diabète de type 2. Les interventions qui visent à favoriser la pratique de l’AP n’aboutissent pas à des changements de comportement à long terme. Le programme “Small Steps for Big Changes” d’une durée de 3 semaines vise la prévention du diabète en encourageant les changements de comportement concernant la pratique de l’AP chez les individus atteints de prédiabète grâce au counseling par l’entretien motivationnel. Dans la présente étude, nos objectifs étaient de : a) décrire le profil d’AP selon la perception des