The effect on glycaemic control of low‐volume high‐intensity interval training versus endurance training in individuals with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Despite a ~45% lower training volume, HIIT resulted in similar or even better improvements in physical fitness, body composition and glycemic control compared to END. HIIT therefore appears to be an important time-efficient treatment for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Effectiveness of high‐intensity interval training combined with resistance training versus continuous moderate‐intensity training combined with resistance training in patients with type 2 diabetes: A one‐year randomized controlled trial

“…Observations from short‐term interventions (2 weeks) suggest that HIIT has acute effects on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes, with reduced AUC values 24 hours after the last exercise session. Similar results were found for medium‐term interventions (8–16 weeks), with small to large improvements in HbA1c and in oral glucose tolerance test‐derived variables, including fasting blood glucose and HOMA‐IR . The differences between these results and our own might be explained by several sources of inter‐individual variability, including exercise dose, exercise frequency, exercise type, behavioral/environmental barriers, exercise‐meal timing, or the effect of anti‐hyperglycaemic drugs on changes in blood glucose control .…”

“…On the other hand, the first month and a half was used as a period of adaptation in the HIIT group, in order to prepare patients for the HIIT protocol (1:1 bouts at 90% HRR). Therefore, the first 3 months of our intervention included only 1.5 months of HIIT protocol, whereas most of the published short/medium‐term interventions among individuals with type 2 diabetes included no adaptation period . Another possible confounding factor might have been the compensatory eating responses to exercise protocols that were not accounted for during the intervention, with possible implications on glycaemic control.…”

“…Moreover, the seven randomized controlled trials using HIIT exercise with individuals with type 2 diabetes were performed with a maximum duration of 4 months. Thus, there is no information on the long‐term effects of an intervention using an HIIT protocol in type 2 diabetes . It is well established that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training (RT) is more beneficial than either alternative alone for improving glycaemic control .…”

“…Thus, there is no information on the long-term effects of an intervention using an HIIT protocol in type 2 diabetes. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] It is well established that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training (RT) is more beneficial than either alternative alone for improving glycaemic control. 7,17,18 However, previous trials have not analysed the effectiveness of HIIT combined with RT concening health-related variables.…”

Effects of one‐legged high‐intensity interval training on insulin‐mediated skeletal muscle glucose homeostasis in patients with type 2 diabetes

“…The literature on the effect of HIIT training or a single HIIT exercise bout on glycaemic control (fasting plasma glucose and HbA1C concentrations, post‐prandial glucose homeostasis, time spent in hyperglycaemia, feasibility of the intervention) in type 2 diabetes is abundant, for example Very few studies have mechanistically explored the effects of HIIT on insulin action in patients with type 2 diabetes, and the present study extends the previous findings by demonstrating the effect of HIIT directly in skeletal muscle (metabolically speaking the leg consists predominantly of skeletal muscle) and provides further mechanistic observations.…”