Association of physical activity and fine motor performance in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual model of study. Populations are represented with round shapes, behaviours/cognitive performance variables represented in rectangular shapes, and the condition (mild cognitive impairment) represented by a triangle. The variables that are the focus of the current investigation, physical activity and fine motor performance, are represented by filled shapes.

Figure 2. Participant flow diagram.

Table 1. Participant characteristics.

	All (n= 93)	T2DM + NAFLD (n= 34)	NAFLD (n= 29)	Controls (n= 30)	p Value, omnibus test
Age (years)	52.2 (12.1)	55.9 (9.7)	50.8 (11.9)	49.4 (14.0)	.075
Gender (female)	38 (40.9%)	15 (44.1%)	9 (31.0%)	14 (46.7%)	.422
BMI (kg/m^2)	30.7 (6.6)	34.4 (5.3)^a	32.8 (6.4)^b	24.7 (3.0)^ab	<.001
Race
White (non-Hispanic)	58 (62.4%)	22 (64.7%)	20 (69.0%)	16 (53.3%)	.201
Hispanic	6 (6.5%)	3 (8.8%)	3 (10.3%)	0
African American	11 (11.8%)	3 (8.8%)	1 (3.4%)	7 (23.3%)
Asian	14 (15.1%)	6 (17.6)	4 (13.8%)	4 (13.3%)
Other	3 (3.2%)	0	1 (3.4%)	2 (6.7%)
Highest level of education
High school diploma	13 (14.0%)	8 (23.5%)	3 (10.3%)	2 (6.7%)	.124
College degree	35 (37.6%)	13 (38.2%)	14 (48.3%)	8 (26.7%)
Post graduate degree	44 (47.3%)	13 (38.2%)	12 (41.4%)	19 (63.3%)
Alcohol consumption
None	40 (43.0%)	16 (47.1%)	15 (51.7%)	9 (30.0%)	.264
1 drink per month	21 (22.6%)	7 (20.6%)	7 (24.1%)	7 (23.3%)
1–2 drinks per week	15 (16.1%)	5 (14.7%)	1 (3.4%)	9 (30.0%)
3–6 drinks per week	10 (10.8%)	2 (5.9%)	5 (17.2%)	3 (10.0%)
1–2 drinks a day	4 (4.3%)	2 (5.9%)	1 (3.4%)	1 (3.3%)
HbA1c (mmol/L)	6.0 (1.4)	7.2 (1.7)^ab	5.4 (0.3)^a	5.3 (0.3)^b	<.001
Hypertension	44 (47.3%)	26 (76.5%)^ab	12 (41.4%)^a	6 (20.0%)^b	<.001
Arthritis	20 (21.5%)	9 (26.5%)	6 (20.7%)	5 (16.7%)	.588
Depression (diagnosed)	12 (12.9%)	3 (8.8%)	3 (10.3%)	6 (20.0%)	.393
Hyperlipidaemia	44 (47.3%)	25 (73.5%)^ab	12 (41.4%)^a	7 (23.3%)^b	.001

Matching superscript letters, within the same row, indicate statistically significant difference between groups. Values are expressed as either mean (standard deviation) or number (percentage). DKEFS Trail Making Test analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Grooved Pegboard analysed using ANOVA.

Table 2. Motor and physical activity performance by T2DM and NAFLD status.

	All (n= 93)	T2DM + NAFLD (n= 34)	NAFLD (n= 29)	Controls (n= 30)	p Value, omnibus
Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	11.3 (1.6)	10.7 (1.9)	11.7 (1.2)	11.5 (1.6)	.053
Grooved Pegboard Test dominant time	79.9 (14.8)	86.9^ab (15.1)	76.8^a (13.2)	75.1^b (13.3)	.002
Grooved Pegboard Test non-dominant time	86.1 (16.9)	92.0^a (19.9)	81.9^a (13.2)	83.7 (15.1)	.042
HAP Maximal Activity Score	83.7 (10.6)	79.6^a (11.7)	84.0 (9.1)	88.2^a (8.9)	.005
HAP Adjusted Activity Score	80.0 (12.8)	74.4^a (14.3)	81.0 (10.5)	85.3^a (10.9)	.003
HAP Metabolic Equivalents	7.9 (1.5)	7.2^a (1.5)	8.1 (1.3)	8.5^a (1.3)	.002

Values are expressed as means (standard deviation). Matching superscript letters, within the same row, indicate statistically significant difference between groups. DKEFS Trail Making Test analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Grooved Pegboard and Human Activity Profile (HAP) analysed using ANOVA.

Figure 3. Relationship between physical activity and fine motor performance. Scatterplot of the Human Activity Profile Adjusted Activity Score and the Grooved Pegboard Test using the non-dominant hand. The three groups are represented by different colour markers and gender is represented by shape of the marker. The fit lines represent each of the group’s correlation (control: r=–0.077; NAFLD: r=–0.380; T2DM + NAFLD: r = 0.094).

Table 3. Correlation between physical activity and fine motor performance.

		HAP Maximal Activity Score (MAS)	HAP Adjusted Activity Score (AAS)	HAP Metabolic Equivalents (METS)
Control	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	–0.108	–0.077	0.015
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	–0.019	0.052	–0.232
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	–0.061	0.007	–0.265
NAFLD	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	0.377*	0.436*	0.356
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	–0.324	–0.248	–0.325
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	–0.374	–0.380*	–0.433*
T2DM + NAFLD	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	0.140	0.180	0.166
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	0.246	0.120	0.106
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	0.183	0.094	0.081

DKEFS Trail Making Test compared using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Grooved Pegboard compared using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

* Correlation is statistically significant at .05 level (two-tailed).

Table 4. Partial correlation between physical activity and fine motor performance controlling for body mass index.

		HAP Maximal Activity Score (MAS)	HAP Adjusted Activity Score (AAS)	HAP Metabolic Equivalents (METS)
Control	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	0.076	0.146	0.089
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	–0.058	0.025	–0.268
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	–0.090	–0.012	–0.291
NAFLD	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	0.242	0.385*	0.253
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	–0.105	0.023	–0.124
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	–0.081	–0.062	–0.192
T2DM + NAFLD	Motor Speed Score for DKEFS Trail Making Test	0.113	0.058	0.004
	Grooved Pegboard Test Dominant Time	0.300	0.166	0.147
	Grooved Pegboard Test Non-Dominant Time	0.298	0.204	0.181

* Correlation is statistically significant at .05 level (two-tailed).

Data availability statement

The data from this study are available from author AAW ([email protected]), upon reasonable request.