Combined aerobic and resistance exercise improves glycemic control and fitness in type 2 diabetes

Maiorana, Andrew; O'Driscoll, Gerard; Goodman, Carmel; Taylor, Roger; Green, Daniel

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Volume 56, Issue 2 , Pages 115-123, May 2002

Combined aerobic and resistance exercise improves glycemic control and fitness in type 2 diabetes

Andrew Maiorana
- Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia
- Cardiac Transplant Unit, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
Gerard O'Driscoll
- Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital and West Australian Heart Research Institute, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
- Cardiac Transplant Unit, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
Carmel Goodman
- Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia
Roger Taylor
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital and West Australian Heart Research Institute, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
Daniel Green
- Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital and West Australian Heart Research Institute, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
- Cardiac Transplant Unit, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +11-61-8-9380-2361; fax: +11-61-8-9380-1039

Received 19 March 2001; received in revised form 28 August 2001; accepted 13 November 2001.

Abstract

We investigated the effect of an 8 week circuit training (CT) program, combining aerobic and resistance exercise, on indices of glycemic control, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and body composition in 16 subjects (age 52±2 years) with type 2 diabetes using a prospective randomised crossover protocol. Submaximal exercise heart rate and rate pressure product were significantly lower after training (P<0.05), whilst ventilatory threshold increased (11.8±0.7 vs 13.8±0.6 mlkg⁻¹min⁻¹, P<0.001). Muscular strength also increased with training (403±30 to 456±31 kg, P<0.001), whilst skinfolds (148.7±11.5 vs 141.1±10.7 mm, P<0.05), % body fat (29.5±1.0 vs 28.7±1.1%, P<0.05) and waist:hip ratio (99.2±1.5 vs 97.9±1.4%, P<0.05) significantly decreased. Concurrently, peak oxygen uptake (P<0.05) and exercise test duration (P<0.001) increased following training, whilst glycated hemoglobin (P<0.05) and fasting blood glucose (P<0.05) decreased. CT is an effective method of training that improved functional capacity, lean body mass, strength and glycemic control in subjects with type 2 diabetes.