DiabetAction: changes in physical activity practice, fitness, and metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetic and at-risk individuals.

OBJECTIVE

To study the changes in physical activity (PA) level, body composition, fitness, and health parameters after the DiabetAction program and evaluate if PA level was maintained during follow-up.

DESIGN

The design of this quasi-experimental study was 1-group pre-test and post-test.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted at the sport center (CEPSUM) of the University of Montreal.

PARTICIPANTS

Out of the 39 subjects from different ethnic backgrounds with type 2 diabetes (T2D) or risk factors (obesity, insulin resistance, or familial history of T2D) who joined the program, 29 subjects took part in at least 50% of group sessions and performed post-intervention evaluations. Analyses were done using those 29 participants.

INTERVENTION

DiabetAction is a 10-week program designed for health and exercise professionals who want to introduce type 2 diabetic (T2D) and at-risk individuals to various modalities of exercise (cardiovascular, resistance, flexibility, and balance) in order to increase activity levels.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

PA level, aerobic capacity, hand grip strength, dynamic balance, anthropometry, resting heart rate and blood pressure, fasting blood lipids and glucose, and metabolic syndrome prevalence.

RESULTS

A significant increase in PA practice was observed after the 10-week program, and more importantly was maintained during the 6-month follow-up. Significant increases in aerobic capacity, muscular strength at the hand, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also observed post-intervention. After the program, significant reductions in body weight, waist circumference, skinfolds thickness, resting heart rate, and systolic blood pressure were reported. Overall, a reduction in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was measured post-intervention.

CONCLUSION

Participants improved their fitness, cardiovascular risk factors, and PA level after their participation to the DiabetAction program, and those promising results justify further validation studies.