Intermittent Exercise in Reducing Glucose Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic condition marked by a rise in blood glucose levels. Dietary control, exercise, stress management, and anti-diabetic medications are all used to maintain low glucose levels. Intermittent exercise is one type of exercise. This study aims to determine the effect of intermittent exercise on glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A pre-experimental approach was adopted in this investigation, with 17 respondents selected through purposive sampling. The independent variable was intermittent exercise, whereas the dependent variable was glucose levels. A glucometer was used to monitor glucose levels before and after the intervention, and the Wilcoxon sign rank test was used to evaluate the results.

Results: The results showed that the glucose levels of all respondents (100%) before the intervention were in the hyperglycemic category and after giving the intervention, almost all (88%) were in the normal category. The p value of the statistical test is 0.001 with α 0.05, indicating the effect of intermittent exercise on decreasing glucose levels. Reduced glucose levels can be achieved through two mechanisms: physiologically (intermittent exercise movements require large muscles to actively move and do not require insulin to enter glucose into cells in this condition, because the sensitivity of insulin receptors increases in active muscles, and glucose uptake also increases) and psychologically (exercise activities carried out in a group setting can make a person relaxed, comfortable and more motivated)

Conclusions:  Intermittent exercise reducing glucose level and can be used as an alternative exercise for patients with Type 2 DM.