[Management of impaired glucose tolerance: physical training therapy]

Many epidemiological surveys have shown that impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is at an increased risk of developing non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Other studies have reported that physical activity has been associated inversely with the prevalence of IGT and NIDDM, and that persons with high physical activity have a low incidence of NIDDM. These data suggest that physical training is an essential and effective therapy for IGT as a promising approach to the primary prevention of NIDDM. Moderately vigorous (about 50% of VO2 max) aerobic exercise that uses systemic skeletal muscles, such as walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming, at least three days a week, with each session lasting 30 min, are recommendable as the physical training prescription for IGT.