Impact of aerobic exercise on cardiometabolic health in patients with diabesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2025

Publication Title

Journal of diabetes and its complications

Keywords

Humans, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Exercise, Obesity, Overweight, Blood Glucose, Exercise Therapy, Female, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Glycated Hemoglobin, Diabesity

Abstract

PURPOSE: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiometabolic health-related indices in patients with type 2 diabetes and concurrent overweight/obesity (diabesity).

METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to October 2024. The search strategy included the following keywords: diabetes, aerobic exercise, and endurance training. RCTs comparing aerobic exercise training ≥2 weeks in duration to standard treatment were considered eligible. Participants were adults with diabesity.

RESULTS: A total of 1391 middle-aged/older adult patients (55 % females) were included in 34 RCTs. Body mass index [standardized mean differences (SMD) -0.18 kg/m(2), 95 % confidence intervals (CI) -0.36 to -0.01]. waist circumference (SMD -0.23 cm, 95 % CI -0.44 to -0.03), body fat (SMD -0.30 %, 95 % CI -0.59 to -0.01), fasting blood glucose (SMD -0.49 mmol/L, 95 % CI -0.72 to -0.27), glycated hemoglobin (SMD -0.79 %, 95 % CI -1.17 to -0.41), fasting insulin (SMD -0.44 mIU/L, 95 % CI -0.72 to -0.15), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (SMD -0.72, 95 % CI -1.09 to -0.35), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (SMD 0.32 mg/dL, 95 % CI 0.01 to 0.63), triglycerides (SMD -0.33 mg/dL, 95 % CI -0.63 to -0.04), and total cholesterol (SMD -0.28 mg/dL, 95 % CI -0.47 to -0.10) improved compared with standard treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the beneficial role of aerobic exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention in managing and treating patients with diabesity when compared to standard treatment, despite the presence of considerable uncertainty in several outcomes.

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Exercise; Obesity; Overweight; Blood Glucose; Exercise Therapy; Female; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Glycated Hemoglobin; Diabesity

PubMed ID

41135244

Volume

39

Issue

12

First Page

109203

Last Page

109203

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