Solomon Mekonnen Abebe and Shtay Alemu Balcha
Background: The effect of resistant exercise program on controlling metabolic abnormality and improving chronic complication risk factors has not been extensively studied in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in Ethiopian context.
Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the effect of supervised Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) protocol on weight loss, body composition, glycemic control and cardio vascular disease (CVD) risk markers reduction to prevent and control Type 2 diabetic complications.
Methodology: We did a 12-week Prospective follow-up for adult Ethiopians with Type 2 diabetes (mean age of 48.15±6.8yrs) assigned to supervise PRT at the University of Gondar Hospital, North West Ethiopia. Using convenience sampling, we select 22 DM patients. Of the 22 subjects recruited for experiment, 2 withdrew following the intervention. Glycemic control, CVD risk markers and body compositions were determined before and after the intervention. Weight, body composition, fasting blood glucose, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol, were used as the main outcome measures. Results: Only 20 study subjects completed the 12-week PRT (three times per week) before (Baseline) and after the intervention the PRT reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) (28.1%), T. cholesterol (12.9%), triglycerides (33.1%), resting pulse rate( 9.9%), resting systolic blood pressure (11.4%), resting diastolic blood pressure (6.9%), weight (1.9 %), BMI (2.5%), body fat percentage (9.7%). There was an increase in muscle and bone density (1.5 %) p< 0.05; LDL decreased in 4 % (P=0.36), visceral fat percentage dropping 3.9 %, (P=0.07). These were not significant in statistical terms (P>0.5)
Conclusion: Supervised PRT for 12 weeks resulted in a significant improvement in glycemic and blood pressure control, Dis-lipidmia and body composition of Type 2 diabetes patients. There is now suggestive evidence supporting the use of moderate intensity PRT for improving glycemic control in DM in Ethiopia.