Body composition, metabolic profile and fitness in men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus following a 6-month exercise intervention: A gender comparison

We compared changes in thigh muscle cross sectional area (CSA), strength, VO2peak, and HbA1c following aerobic training (A), resistance training (R), or their added combination (AR) in 115 sedentary type 2 diabetic men and women. Participants aged 40 to 70 years, mean BMI of 33.5 kg/m2, were randomly assigned to 6 months of 3x/wk A only (17 M, 11 W), R only (17 M, 11 W), combined AR (17 M; 12 W), and waiting-list control (C) (17 M, 13 W). All exercising men increased mid-thigh CSA (all p < 0.05). Mean increases in VO2peak were exhibited in A and AR men (8.4% and 7.3%; p < 0.05). Strength increases were similar for exercising men and women. Absolute HbA1c decreased in AR men (1.22%) and women (0.62%), and A men (0.80%) (all p < 0.05). R men exhibited a greater relative reduction in HbA1c as compared to R women (p = 0.033 between sexes). Exercising men had modestly greater improvements in HbA1c than women