Health status of older adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus after aerobic or resistance training: A randomised trial

Sixty subjects aged 58 (7) years were randomised to PRT (n = 30) or AT (n = 30). General health and vitality were significantly improved in both groups (mean (SD) change scores for PRT were 12.2(11.5) and 10.5(18.2), and for AT, 13.3(19.6) and 10.0(13.1), respectively) and exceeded the minimally important difference of 5 points. The PRT group also had improved physical function and mental health status (mean (SD) change scores: 9.0(22.6), p < 0.05 and 5.3(12.3), p < 0.05, respectively), which was not observed in the AT group. However, the between group differences were not statistically significant.Both exercise regimens have positive impact on health status that correlated well with clinical improvement in patients with T2DM. PRT may have some additional benefits as there were significant changes in more domains of the SF-36 than that observed for the AT group.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01000519In Asia, more than 100 million people were living with T2DM in 2007 [1]. The prevalence in Singapore is 8.2% in adults aged 18 to 69 years and is expected to rise [2]. It is important to assess the impact of interventions that affect blood glucose control on health status besides clinical outcomes such as glycemic control [3]. Exercise is considered a critical part of therapeutic lifestyle intervention in the treatment of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [4,5]. Exercise has been shown to improve quality of life in special populations [6,7]. In patients with T2DM, it is recommended that patients undertake both aerobic training and progressive resistance training [4]. We have recently shown that both types of training improve metabolic control to a similar degree [8]. In a recent study by Reid et al, it appeared that resistance training had more beneficial effects on physical health status than aerobic training [9]. However, the differences in the effects were not statistically significant [9]. Furthermore, they did not attempt to ensure similar volume or duration o