Exercise to defeat pre-diabetes

Researchers looked to study if aerobic and resistance training could reduce blood glucose and Type 2 Diabetes risk and increase muscle mass for people with prediabetes. 248 people with prediabetes were divided into three groups - 82 participants were in the resistance training group, 83 participants were in the aerobic training group and 83 were in the control group. Participants in the first two groups had moderate aerobic or resistance training 3 times a week (150 min/week) for 24 months.

The study showed that participants in both aerobic and resistance training groups experienced a significant reduction in blood glucose levels, cholesterol, impaired glucose regulation at the end of 12 and 24 months. Compared to the control group, the first two groups showed a reduction in risk of heart disease. The study showed that in people with prediabetes both resistance and aerobic exercise can control and reverse impaired glucose regulation. But the effect seen in the resistance training group superior to that of aerobic exercise alone. Aerobic exercise decreased blood glucose levels through weight loss. The researchers concluded that a better exercise intervention would be combining resistance exercise with aerobic exercise in pre-diabetes compared with traditional aerobic exercise intervention alone.