Gender-dependent evaluation of football as medicine for prediabetes

Training intensity and health effects of football were investigated gender specifically in individuals with prediabetes.

Participants with prediabetes (age 60 ± 6 years) were randomised into a football and dietary advice group (FD-men n = 13 and FD-women n = 14) or a dietary advice only group (D-men n = 12 and D-women n = 11). FD performed football training (twice/week for 16 weeks), while both groups received dietary advice. Body composition, bone variables, blood pressure, blood lipid profile and peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) were determined pre- and post-intervention.

Mean heart rate during football training was 79 ± 2 and 80 ± 3% HR_max for FD-men and FD-women, respectively, with peak heart rate values of 96 ± 1 and 97 ± 2% HR_max, with no gender differences. VO_2peak increased more (P < 0.05) in FD-men and FD-women than in D-men and D-women. However, relative delta change in VO_2peak was 21 ± 14% in FD-women, which was greater (P < 0.05) than in FD-men (11 ± 12%). Reduction in SBP and DBP, respectively, was similar in FD-men (- 10.8 ± 13.0 and - 7.3 ± 11.8 mmHg) and FD-women (- 11.3 ± 11.0 and - 7.1 ± 6.2 mmHg), with within-gender differences for men. Total plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol decreased (P < 0.05) by - 0.7 ± 1.1 and - 0.5 ± 0.9 mmol L^-1, respectively, in FD-women and - 0.2 ± 0.4 and - 0.2 ± 0.3 mmol L^-1 in FD-men, with no significant gender differences (P = 0.08). Body fat content was lowered (P < 0.05) by 3 and 4%-points in FD-men and FD-women, respectively.

Gender-mixed football training combined with dietary advice causes broad-spectrum health effects for men and women with prediabetes, with minor gender-specific differences. Thus, the intensity and training-induced effects of football training are also high for elderly women with prediabetes.