Effectiveness of an aerobic walking program using heart rate monitor and pedometer on the parameters of diabetes control in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic walking using a heart rate monitor (HRM) and pedometer for monitoring exercise intensity on glycemic outcomes, fasting blood glucose (FBG), cardiovascular fitness and well-being in type 2 diabetes patients.


METHODS
Forty adults with type 2 diabetes were randomly allocated to an 8-week supervised program of walking using heart rate monitor and pedometer (group A=20) and control group (group B=20). All outcomes were determined at baseline and after the 8-week training period.


RESULTS
The exercise training program resulted in a 9.7% (P<0.05) improvement in group A. Fasting blood glucose level decreased significantly by 37% in group A (P<0.05). Body mass index (BMI) ratio decreased by 3.9% in group A and increased by 2.2% in group B. General well-being (GWB) improved by 28.8% (P<0.05) in the exercising group and there was an improvement in all parameters associated with cardiovascular health.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring an exercise program using a heart rate monitor and pedometer was effective and decreased the level of HbA1c, FBG, BMI and improved general well-being. Further using HRM helped us to attribute all improvements to the exercise intensity that we used in our study.
Shenoy
Shweta
S
Department of Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India. shwet1999@yahoo.com
Guglani
Ruchika
R
Sandhu
Jaspal Singh
JS
D000328:Adult; D000332:Aerobiosis; D044466:Asian People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D016138:Walking