Fasting plasma glucose and lipid profiles of diabetic patients improve with aerobic exercise training

Abstract

Objective: This study presents the effects of aerobic exercise training on fasting plasma glucose and lipid profiles (FPG/LP) of diabetic patients in Kumasi.

Design: A randomised experimental with control design.

Setting: The study was conducted at the diabetic unit of KATH in Kumasi, Ghana.

Participants: Twelve diabetic patients [grouped into intervention (IG) and control (CG)] attending the diabetic unit of KATH with diabetes diagnosis durations less than fifty years, ambulant status/age of 20-68years, sedentary and free from complications.

Interventions: Eight weeks aerobic exercise training between August 2015 and March 2016.

Main outcome measures: Body weight (BW), Body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (T) and total cholesterol (TC).

Results: Body weight (4.85kg, 7.0%), body mass index (4.08kg/m², 7.3%), FPG (5.28mmol/L, 43.5%), LDL-C (.33mmol/l, 11.9%), TC (.47 mmol/l, 5.3%) and T (.48mmol/l, 29.4%) profiles of the patients in IG declined while HDL-C (.11mmol/l, 7.1%) increased. IG patients improved significantly in FPG [6.27 ± 0.91 < 8.00 ± 0.96; t=-52.00, P = 0.000], BW [58.60 ± 15.34 < 75.35 ± 22.00; t= 3.29, P = 0.040] and BMI [23.45 ±5.03<27.04 ±4.78, t=4.24, P = .050] compared to CG.

Conclusion: Patients in IG, in addition to conventional care, experienced non-significant decline in LDL-C, TC, T, increase in HDL-C and significant reduction in FPG, BW, and BMI over those receiving conventional care only. Exercise Scientists are recommended to handle exercise sessions for healthcare prevention and management routines of diabetic patients.

Funding: Not declared.

Keywords: Aerobic exercise training; Diabetic patients; Fasting plasma glucose; Lipoprotein; Total Cholesterol; Triglycerides.