OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effects of circuit-type resistance training on the need for insulin in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two patients with gestational diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned either to a group that was treated with diet alone or to a group that was treated with diet plus resistance exercise. RESULTS: The number of women whose condition required insulin therapy was the same, regardless of treatment. However, a subgroup analysis that examined only overweight women (prepregnant body mass index, > 25 kg/m2) showed a lower incidence of insulin use in the diet-plus-exercise group (p < 0.05). Women in the diet-plus-exercise group were prescribed less insulin (p < 0.05) and showed a longer delay from diagnosis to the initiation of insulin therapy (p < 0.05), compared with the diet-alone group. CONCLUSION: Resistance exercise training may help to avoid insulin therapy for overweight women with gestational diabetes mellitus.
This material may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher