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High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Systematic Review

  • Evidence-Based Medicine, Clinical Trials and Their Interpretations (L. Roever, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

High-intensity exercise may beneficially impact on insulin sensitivity. However, there is still uncertainty on the actual impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on chronic physiologic adaptations among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to systematically search and appraise the evidence base on the effects of HIIT in comparison to mild- or moderate-intensity interval training (MMIIT) on glycemic control inT2DM.

Recent Findings

A total of 5 RCT met the inclusion criteria. Most studies presented significant differences for weight and BMI with HIIT, and with both interventions for total body fat. For the other health-related variables (systolic and diastolic BP, fasting cholesterol, LDL and HDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and HbAc1), only 1 study provided detailed results for HIIT, showing significant differences for systolic BP and HDL cholesterol in 2 studies, total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, whereas for MIIT, only 1 study brought significant differences for LDL cholesterol. For glucose levels, significant differences were reported in 4 studies for both HIIT and MMIT, but only two studies used the percentage delta assessment tool, whereas 1 study only showed significant improvements for HIIT.

Summary

The number of studies for the analysis is not precise as to the statements regarding the results of the intervention proposed for this public, since they do not allow identifying a consistency of the findings, not presenting diversity between the training methods and the different methods of volume control and intensity of training.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Far South Catarinense – UNESC, Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Djeniffer Elias da Silva

  2. State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

    Antônio José Grande

  3. Department of Clinical Research, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil

    Leonardo Roever

  4. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Gary Tse & Joni Márcio de Farias

  5. Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Gary Tse

  6. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic-Molecular Function of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, The Second Hos-pital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China

    Tong Liu

  7. Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy

    Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai

  8. IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy

    Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai

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  1. Djeniffer Elias da Silva
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  2. Antônio José Grande
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  4. Gary Tse
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  7. Joni Márcio de Farias
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Correspondence to Joni Márcio de Farias.

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Conflict of Interest

Djeniffer Elias da Silva, Antônio José Grande, Leonardo Roever, Gary Tse, Tong Liu, Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, and Joni Márcio de Farias declare no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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da Silva, D.E., Grande, A.J., Roever, L. et al. High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Systematic Review. Curr Atheroscler Rep 21, 8 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-019-0767-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-019-0767-9

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