Health benefits of a novel exercise intervention in Type 2 diabetes

INTERVENTION: 21 men with T2D will perform two 8‐week exercise interventions in a counterbalanced crossover design, separated by =6 weeks. Before and three days after each 6‐week intervention all participants will undergo a testing day to determine changes in glycaemic control and other health markers. Training‐induced changes in health markers will be compared between the two interventions. One of the interventions will involve a time‐efficient high‐intensity interval training programme, whereas the control intervention will be based on current physical activity recommendations and involve moderate intensity walking. REHIT training: the REHIT intervention will involve three 10‐min exercise sessions per week, consisting of unloaded cycling interspersed with two cycle‐sprints against a resistance equivalent to 5% of body weight as previously described by Metcalfe et al. (2012). Sprints will last 10 s in weeks 1 and 2, 15 s in weeks 3 and 4, and 20 s in weeks 5‐8. Walking intervention: the walking intervention will be based on guidelines provided by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association, and involve five 30‐min walking sessions per week, at an intensity corresponding to 40% of VO2max in weeks 1 and 2, 50% of VO2max in weeks 3 and 4, and 60% of VO2max in weeks 5‐8. Follow Up Length: 6 month(s) Study Entry : Single Randomisation only CONDITION: Topic: Primary Care Research Network for England; Subtopic: Not Assigned; Disease: All Diseases ; Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine ; Non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus PRIMARY OUTCOME: Glycaemic control; timepoint(s): pre and post both interventions SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Aerobic fitness; timepoint(s): pre and post both interventions; 2. Body composition; timepoint(s): pre and post both interventions INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Men aged =40 years and =60 years 2. Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes according to WHO criteria at least 6 months prior to entering the study: fasting plasma glucose = 7.0 mmol/l (126 mg/dl) ‐ OR 2‐hour plasma glucose sample in a standard OGTT of =11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl)