title: Effects of lifestyle and physical exercise on impaired glucose tolerance in middle-aged men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rapid lifestyle changes in China correlate with alarming rise of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease. Impaired glucose intolerance (IGT) is one of the risk factors associated with DM onset. We investigated the relation between lifestyle such as meat and carbohydrate intake, smoking and alcohol and physical exercise on IGT in 349 middle-aged (age range 41 to 59 years) Chinese men with no history of DM or any related treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  After being assessed for glucose tolerance, study participants were classified into the IGT (N.=172) and NGT (N.=177) group. Using a questionnaire they were assessed for daily meat and carbohydrate intake, smoking and alcohol drinking habits and physical exercise. Associations were analyzed with a single-factor ANOVA and regression and controlled for body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between IGT and NGT groups were found for high appetite intake (>400 g/day: 91.9% vs. 41.8%, respectively, P<0.01), high meat intake (>100 g/day: 62.2% vs. 40.7%, P<0.01), frequent smoking (20 cigarettes/day during more than 2 years: 51.2% vs. 9.05%, P<0.01) and frequent physical exercise (≥ 3 times/week: 15.1% vs. 65.5%, respectively, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found that high carbohydrate and meat intake, frequent smoking and low physical exercise associate with IGT in middle-aged men. Further studies are needed to assess whether diminishing or eliminating these risk factors could reverse IGT in middle age, both in men and women.
authors.affiliation: College of Physical Education, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Ji'nan, China - xiuyinghan1@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiuying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose