Effects of combined diet and physical activity on glycemic control and body composition in male recreational athletes with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. While physical activity and dietary modifications are established interventions, their combined effects in active male populations remain underexplored. Objective To assess the effects of a 12-week therapeutic diet and/or physical activity program on body composition and biochemical parameters in male recreational athletes with T2DM. Methods Thirty-six male recreational athletes (aged 30-45 years) with T2DM were randomly assigned to: Physical Activity (PA), Nutritional Regimen (NR), Combined PA and NR (PA+NR), or Control (CG) groups. Body composition (body mass, body fat percentage, muscle mass) and biochemical markers (FBS, HbA1c, LDL-C, HDL-C, HOMA-IR) were measured at baseline, midpoint, and intervention end. Results The PA+NR group showed significant improvements in body composition: reduced body mass (p<0.05, ES=0.29), reduced body fat percentage (p<0.05, ES=0.31), and increased muscle mass (p<0.05, ES=0.35). This group also demonstrated significant improvements in biochemical markers: reduced FBS (p<0.05, ES=0.17), HbA1c (p<0.05, ES=0.23), LDL-C (p<0.05, ES=0.17), and HOMA-IR (p<0.05, ES=0.39), with increased HDL-C (p<0.05, ES=0.29). The PA group showed only HbA1c reductions, while the NR group primarily improved lipid profiles. No significant changes occurred in the control group. Conclusion A combined therapeutic diet and physical activity program effectively improved body composition and biochemical parameters in recreational athletes with T2DM. This combined approach could be recommended as an integral strategy for diabetes management in physically active individuals.

Journal

FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY

Year

2025

Volume

16

ISSN

1664-2392

DOI

10.3389/fendo.2025.1525559

WoS UID

WOS:001511720100001