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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #293545

Title: Four-year change in cardiorespiratory fitness and influence on glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes in a randomized trial

Author
item Raatz, Susan

Submitted to: Diabetes Care
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/2012
Publication Date: 12/6/2012
Citation: Raatz, S.K. 2012. Four-year change in cardiorespiratory fitness and influence on glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes in a randomized trial. Diabetes Care. doi: 10.2337/dc12-0712.

Interpretive Summary: 4-year change in fitness and physical activity (PA), glycemic control was evaluated in participants of the in the Look AHEAD Trial. Subjects were overweight/obese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with available fitness data at 4 years (n = 3,942) randomized to intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) compared with diabetes support and education (DSE). At 4-years, ILI increased fitness A in overweight/obese individuals with T2DM. Change in fitness was associated with improvements in glycemic control.

Technical Abstract: OBJECTIVE To examine an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) compared with diabetes support and education (DSE) on 4-year change in fitness and physical activity (PA), and to examine the effect of change in fitness and PA, adjusting for potential confounders, on glycemic control in the Look AHEAD Trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Subjects were overweight/obese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with available fitness data at 4 years (n = 3,942).This clinical trial randomized subjects to DSE or ILI. DSE received standard care plus information three times per year related to diet, PA, and social support. ILI received weekly intervention contact for 6 months that was reduced over the 4-year period and was prescribed diet and PA. Measures included weight, fitness, PA, and HbA1c. RESULTS The difference in percent fitness change between ILI and DSE at 4 years was significant after adjustment for baseline fitness and change in weight (3.70 vs. 0.94%; P , 0.01). At 4 years, PA increased by 348 (1,562) kcal/week in ILI vs. 105 (1,309) kcal/week in DSE (P , 0.01). Fitness change at 4 years was inversely related to change in HbA1c after adjustment for clinical site, treatment, baseline HbA1c, prescribed diabetes medication, baseline fitness, and weight change (P , 0.01). Change in PA was not related to change in HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS A 4-year ILI increased fitness and PA in overweight/obese individuals with T2DM. Change in fitness was associated with improvements in glycemic control, which provides support for interventions to improve fitness in adults with T2DM.