A new study from Italy shows a structured, supervised exercise program improves HbA1c levels and the cardiovascular risk profile of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The exercise program, a twice-weekly, facility-based regimen that included aerobic exercise, resistance training, and counseling was significantly better at improving HbA1c levels and cardiovascular risk factors than a treatment regimen that only counseled physical activity.
Researches think the twice-a-week sessions supervised by an exercise specialist served as continuous reinforcement to counseling," write lead investigator Dr Stefano Balducci (La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy) and colleagues in the November 8, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Although, participants in group that underwent exercise counseling alone successfully achieved the currently recommended target for physical activity, that being 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity per week, and while this activity improved cardiorespiratory fitness levels in these previously sedentary subjects, it was not enough to improve glycemic control or improve their cardiovascular risk profile.
"These results might imply that the amount of physical activity that is required to effectively reduce cardiovascular burden in these high-risk subjects could be higher than the minimum recommended," write the authors.
