Exercise Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Quality of Life, Muscle Function in Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Persons

Regular physical activity is known to have a beneficial effect on several factors affecting the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Implementing and maintaining changes of lifestyle is, however, known to be difficult. In this study we wished to investigate the effects of an exercise intervention that is feasible to most people with type 2 diabetes or at risk of developing that disease. The intervention was Nordic walking (with walking poles) for five hour per week, during four months. We chose to determine effects on health related quality of life, clinical parameters related to body weight/body composition, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, blood lipids, oxygen uptake and physiological effects in skeletal muscle cells related to glucose metabolism. On inclusion and after four months the participants were therefore subject to clinical measurements, blood samples, maximal oxygen uptake tests on an ergometer cycle and muscle biopsies at inclusion and after four months of participation. They also answered an extensive questionnaire focusing on health related quality of life.