How Exercise Benefits Insulin-Treated Obese Patients with Diabetes

Exercise counters adverse CV effects of insulin in overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Supervised mixed (aerobic and resistance) exercise is effective in improving A1c and cardiovascular disease risk related to insulin treatment in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes….

Stefano Balducci, M.D., from “La Sapienza” University in Rome, and colleagues conducted a subanalysis of 73 insulin-treated patients among 606 sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The subjects were randomly selected to either the EXE group (twice-weekly supervised aerobic and resistance training plus structured exercise counseling) or the CON group (counseling only) for 12 months. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed at baseline and end of study.

The researchers found that participants in the EXE group had significantly more physical activity than those in the CON group. Following the 12-month period, values for HbA1c, body mass index, waist circumference, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the coronary heart disease risk score were significantly reduced in the EXE group compared with the CON group.

“In insulin-treated subjects with type 2 diabetes, supervised exercise is safe and effective in improving glycemic control and markers of adiposity and inflammation, thus counterbalancing the adverse effects of insulin on these parameters,” the authors write.

Diabetes Care, Jan. 2012