Which Type of Training Is Best for Type 2 Diabetes?

Making News:

According to an article published in the September 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine (2007; 147 [6], 357–69), previous studies of the effectiveness of exercise for type 2 diabetes have focused on either cardiovascular training or resistance training, but they have never included both. The authors of this article recruited 251 adults aged 39–70 years with type 2 diabetes. The goal was to learn whether a combination of both exercise modalities would significantly affect glycemic control or whether the focus should be placed on cardiovascular or resistance training alone.

Participants were separated into a cardio exercise group, a resistance exercise group, a combination group and a no-exercise control group. Those in the exercise groups were provided a 6-month membership to a fitness facility, which they visited 3 days each week. They also received dietary guidelines designed to prevent any negative repercussions from the increased physical activity.

The aerobic group progressed from 15–20 minutes per session at 60% of maximum heart rate (HRmax) to 45 minutes per session at 75% HRmax. The resistance group performed seven different exercises on weight machines and progressed to 2–3 sets of about 7–9 repetitions. The combo group completed both the aerobic and resistance training protocols. Supervision was provided for each session during the first 4 weeks and biweekly thereafter.

At the end of the 6-week study, researchers found improvements in glycemic control for both the aerobic group and the resistance group, but results for the combo group were the best. The authors therefore concluded that “persons with type 2 diabetes who wish to improve their metabolic control through physical activity should be encouraged to perform both aerobic and resistance training.”