Approved research

Relationship between type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal pain and physical activity

Lay summary

Aims:if people with diabetes experience more musculoskeletal pain compared to those without diabetes, and among those with diabetes. Whether metformin has any influence on musculoskeletal pain or body composition, and whether physical activity is a significant independent predictor of musculoskeletal pain in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Do people with (T2DM) report more musculoskeletal pain, compared to those without T2DM? Do metformin or glycaemic control affect reports of musculoskeletal pain? Do bone density, muscle and fat mass differ between people with T2DM who do or do not take metformin? Does physical activity participation predict future/mediator musculoskeletal pain in T2DM? The proposed research will primarily explore the relationship between diabetes, musculoskeletal pain, and physical activity. Secondarily we will explore any relationships between taking metformin and musculoskeletal pain, body composition, and glyaemic control. The aims are well aligned with the public interest focus of the UK Biobank. We will compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (i.e. knee, back, pain) among people with and without type 2 diabetes and the relationship between T2DM and number of pain sites. We will also explore whether physical activity level influence that relationship. This study will then investigate whether using metformin (a commonly-prescribed medication for blood glucose control) affects body composition (e.g. muscle mass) or musculoskeletal pain among people with type 2 diabetes compared with those who are not using metformin We require baseline cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the full cohort (people with and without diabetes