Exercise Interventions for Efficient and Effective Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This review study determined the effects of exercise interventions to reduce the level of HbA1c for efficient and effective management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE and Science Direct were searched for the published literature. Overall effect size with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used to assess the strength of the relationship between interventions and T2DM by using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was also evaluated. 10 randomized controlled experimental studies were selected and included in the review. Studies having drug co-interventions were excluded. The overall estimate of the mean differences of the exercise interventions showed that the total effect size for a reduction in HbA1c to manage T2DM was about -0.74 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of -0.98 to -0.50 and the I2 value is 62%. Exercise interventions are moderately effective in reducing HbA1c to manage type 2 DM efficiently.