QUESTION: Is progressive resistance training as effective as aerobic training of similar duration in sedentary older adults with diabetes mellitus? DESIGN: A randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty people with type 2 diabetes mellitus with glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) between 8% and 10% in the past month. INTERVENTION: One group undertook progressive resistance exercise and the other group undertook aerobic exercise. Both groups completed 18 sessions over 8 weeks. In each session, the progressive resistance exercise group did nine resistive exercises while the aerobic exercise group did 50 minutes of aerobic exercise. OUTCOME MEASURES: HbA1c, blood glucose, lipid profile (total, high- and low-density cholesterol and triglycerides), weight, body mass index, body fat, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, blood pressure, and peak oxygen consumption. RESULTS: Forty-nine (82%) participants completed the intervention. HbA1c reduced by a similar amount in both groups (MD 0.1%, 95% CI -0.3 to 0.5). However, significant between-group differences occurred in change in waist circumference in favour of progressive resistance exercise (MD -1.8 cm, 95% CI -0.5 to -3.1), and in change in peak oxygen consumption in favour of aerobic exercise (MD 5.2 ml/kg, 95% CI 0.0 to 10.4). CONCLUSIONS: Progressive resistance exercise has similar effects to aerobic exercise and therefore offers a useful alternative for patients unable to participate in aerobic exercise. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01000519.

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