BACKGROUND: Exercise training intervention is underused in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in East Africa. METHODS: 41 physically-active males with type 2 diabetes mellitus living in Mozambique were recruited and randomly assigned to 12 weeks of supervised exercise of low intensity exercise (LEX), vigorous intensity exercise (VEX), or to a control group (CON). Since there were no differences for any outcome variables between the exercise groups, VEX and LEX were combined into one exercise group (EX). RESULTS: Age and baseline body weight were similar between EX and CON. Plasma glucose at 120 min following glucose load (Glu 120) was significantly reduced in the EX group after training (Glu 120 17.3 mmol/L to 15.0 mmol/L, p < 0.05), whereas Glu 120 remained unchanged in the CON (Glu 120 16.6 mmol/L to 18.7 mmol/L). After controlling for baseline blood pressure (BP), posttraining systolic BP and diastolic BP were lower in the EX group than in the CON group (EX 129/77 mmHg, CON 152/83 mmHg, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adding exercise to already active African men with type 2 diabetes improved glucose control and BP levels without concomitant changes in weight.

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