A new analysis of 29 clinical trials involving 1,301 middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes suggests that different types of exercise have different benefits. The study compared several exercise programs to usual care, looking at blood sugar control, fitness, and blood pressure.
High-intensity resistance training (HIRT) was linked to the greatest drop in HbA1c, a key blood sugar measure, reducing it by about 0.62 percentage points. Moderate-intensity aerobic training and combined aerobic and resistance training also lowered HbA1c. For fasting blood sugar, only moderate-intensity resistance training showed a significant reduction.
When it came to fitness, high-intensity aerobic training alone or combined with high-intensity resistance training improved peak oxygen uptake the most. Only high-intensity resistance training lowered systolic blood pressure, and no exercise program significantly changed resting heart rate.
The evidence is not equally strong for all findings. Results for fitness and heart rate came from a small number of studies, so they should be seen as preliminary. Certainty was low for some blood pressure and blood sugar results. The study does not prove that exercise causes these improvements, but it supports the idea that exercise type matters for specific health goals in type 2 diabetes.