MULTICOMPONENT TRAINING TO IMPROVE THE FUNCTIONAL FITNESS AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL OF SENIORS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

ABSTRACT Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent disease in older adults and associated with functional impairment and abnormalities of the glycemic metabolism. Multicomponent training, which consists of strength, balance, coordination, gait, agility and proprioception exercises, is recommended to improve the physical function of the elderly, but its effects in the treatment of T2DM are not clear. The main goal was to investigate the effect of a multicomponent training protocol on functional and glycemic parameters in seniors with T2DM. Thirteen older adults (68±6 years) with T2DM were included. Before and after the intervention period, the following tests were performed: chair stand, arm curl, sit and reach, six-minute walk test (6MWT), fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C). The training program was conducted for 16 weeks, three times a week, on nonconsecutive days. Each session consisted of 10 minutes of warm-up, 50 minutes of multicomponent exercises (coordination, muscle strength, flexibility, balance and agility) and 10 minutes of stretching and relaxation. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test and the Wilcoxon test (p<0.05). Training induced an improvement in the arm curl (p = 0.001), sit and reach (p = 0.004), 6MWT (p = 0.009) and HbA1C (p = 0.01) tests. In conclusion, the multicomponent training protocol improved functional fitness and glycemic control in seniors with T2DM. However, fasting blood glucose levels and muscle strength of the lower limbs remained unchanged