title: A comparison of the health benefits of reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) and moderate-intensity walking in type 2 diabetes patients.
abstract: Reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) is a genuinely time-efficient intervention that can improve aerobic capacity and insulin sensitivity in sedentary individuals. The present study compared the effects of REHIT and moderate-intensity walking on health markers in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a counter-balanced crossover study. Sixteen men with T2D (mean ± SD age: 55 ± 5 years, body mass index: 30.6 ± 2.8 kg·m-2, maximal aerobic capacity: 27 ± 4 mL·kg-1·min-1) completed 8 weeks of REHIT (three 10-min low-intensity cycling sessions/week with two "all-out" 10-20-s sprints) and 8 weeks of moderate-intensity walking (five 30-min sessions/week at an intensity corresponding to 40%-55% of heart-rate reserve), with a 2-month wash-out period between interventions. Before and after each intervention, participants underwent an incremental fitness test, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, and continuous glucose monitoring. REHIT was associated with a significantly larger increase in maximal aerobic capacity compared with walking (7% vs. 1%; time × intervention interaction effect: p < 0.05). Both REHIT and walking decreased resting mean arterial pressure (-4%; main effect of time: p < 0.05) and plasma fructosamine (-5%; main effect of time: p < 0.05). Neither intervention significantly improved OGTT-derived measures of insulin sensitivity, glycaemic control measured using continuous glucose monitors, blood lipid profile, or body composition. We conclude that REHIT is superior to a 5-fold larger volume of moderate-intensity walking in improving aerobic fitness, but similar to walking REHIT is not an effective intervention for improving insulin sensitivity or glycaemic control in T2D patients in the short term.
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: José S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ruffino
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Preeyaphorn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Songsorn
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Malindi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haggett
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.affiliation: b Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal United Hospital, Bath, BA1 3NG, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: a Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Niels B J
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Vollaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D004739:England; D015444:Exercise; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate; D000072696:High-Intensity Interval Training; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D005082:Physical Exertion; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019270:Fructosamine
keywords: HIT; V̇O2max; blood pressure; contrôle glycémique; entraînement par intervalle au sprint (« SIT »); glycaemic control; pression sanguine; sprint interval training (SIT)