Benefits of exercise training for men with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Twelve healthy men with IDDM participated in a 12-week walking/jogging exercise program. Pre- and postexercise assessment of dietary intakes, body composition, biochemical measures, and exercise performance indicators were completed. Subjects exercised either 3 or 5 days per week for 1 hour at 60% to 80% of estimated maximal heart rate. Dietary intakes showed a voluntary reduction in fat intake as a percent of total energy from 40% +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) to 37% +/- 8% (P = .053). No change occurred over time in body composition measures except for a significant reduction in the waist-to-hip ratio from 0.87 +/- 0.04 to 0.86 +/- 0.04 (P = .007). Fasting serum glucose and lipid levels did not change over time. Exercise capacity improved, as shown by an increased time to exhaustion on a treadmill run from 7.9 +/- 3.7 minutes to 9.7 +/- 3.8 minutes (P less than .001); and a lower heart rate at a constant work load--from 183 +/- 18 beats per minute preexercise to 175 +/- 20 beats per minute postexercise (P = .022). The study showed that healthy male subjects with IDDM can benefit from regular exercise with a redistribution of body fat and improved exercise capacity.