Nordic Walking Improves Cardiometabolic Parameters, Fitness Performance, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: To assess the effect of Nordic walking (NW) on cardiometabolic health, physical performance, and well-being in sedentary older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: Fifteen subjects with T2D (female, 5; male, 10; age, 65 +/- 6.2 years [mean +/- standard deviation]; body mass index, 27.3 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2) [mean +/- standard deviation]) were enrolled in a 6-month NW training program. The fasting glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels, lipid profile (total cholesterol, low -density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressures were measured before and after the intervention. Partici-pants' quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey) and physical fitness (6-minute walking test) were also evaluated. Results: Compared with baseline, NW significantly improved the fasting glucose level (103.5 +/- 18.5 vs 168.7 +/- 37.7 mg/dL, P = .01), SBP (121.8 +/- 12.2 vs 133 +/- 14.4 mm Hg, P = .02), physical fitness (759.88 +/- 69 vs 615.5 +/- 62.6 m, P < .001), and both mental health (54.5 +/- 4.4 vs 45.7 +/- 5.6, P < .01) and physical health (49.8 +/- 4.7 vs 40.3 +/- 5.9, P < .01). The levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (6.15% +/- 0.8% vs 6.4% +/- 1%, P = .46), total cholesterol (162.2 +/- 31.2 vs 175.5 +/- 28.8 mg/dL, P = .13), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95.2 +/- 24.2 vs 106.3 +/- 32.3 mg/dL, P = .43), and triglycerides (135.5 +/- 60.8 vs 127.6 +/- 57.4 mg/dL, P = 0.26) improved without reaching significance. Conclusion: NW training improved the glycemic levels, SBP, physical fitness, and perception of quality of life in older adults with T2D. NW represents a suitable complementary strategy to improve the global health status in this population. (c) 2022 AACE. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.