- Regular exercise may have significant benefits when combined with weight loss from diet for individuals who are overweight and have prediabetes, according to new research.
- The study aimed to determine whether exercise offers advantages beyond weight loss achieved through diet alone.
- The study compared two groups: one following a diet program and exercise training, while the other only following the diet program.
- The results revealed that the group combining diet and exercise experienced twice the improvement in insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for managing prediabetes, compared to the diet-only group.
In a new study, scientists from the Centre for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, looked at the effects of regular exercise when combined with a diet program for people who are overweight and have prediabetes.
The researchers measured how sensitive the participants’ bodies were to insulin, which is a hormone that controls blood sugar levels.
The results showed that the group that changed both their diet and exercise habits had twice the improvement in insulin sensitivity compared to the group that only changed their diet.
This means that their bodies were better able to use insulin to control their blood sugar levels.
The researchers also looked at certain genes in the muscles of the participants, finding that the group that changed both diet and exercise had increased expression (activity) of genes involved in making new mitochondria—the energy factories in cells—energy metabolism, and the growth of new blood vessels.
These changes in gene activity indicate that exercise helps improve the overall function and health of muscles.
They found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of certain markers in the blood related to inflammation or the levels of certain amino acids.
In addition, both groups also showed similar changes in the composition of their gut bacteria, which can affect overall health.
The…
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