The effect of water-based exercise on glucose and insulin response in overweight women: a pilot study

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 12-week moderate intensity, water-based circuit-type training intervention on glucose and insulin responses in overweight women with normal or impaired glucose tolerance.

Fifteen overweight women (body mass index [BMI] > 25 kg/m(2)) with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 7) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; n = 8) were recruited for this study. All women completed a 12-week training intervention utilizing a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises in an aquatic environment, 3 days per week and 60 min per session at 70-75% mode-specific maximum heart rate. A standard 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was administered pre- and post-intervention, from which fasting and post-load plasma insulin and glucose levels were assessed.

Following the 12-week period, fasting insulin levels had decreased by 44% and 2-h glucose by 30.4% in the group with IGT. Waist circumference (WC) had decreased by 5.3% in this group at the end of the intervention. Only WC and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) decreased (6.0% and 5.5%, respectively) following the intervention in the NGT group.

Moderate intensity, water-based circuit-type exercises appear to be an effective exercise modality to improve glucose and insulin response to a glucose challenge in overweight women with IGT.