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Exercise training modestly improved insulin levels of children, adolescents
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Exercise training appears to provide some benefit to fasting insulin and insulin resistance in children and adolescents, according to a recent meta-analysis published in the journal Pediatrics.
“The prevalence of obesity and diabetes is increasing among children, adolescents and adults,” the study researchers wrote. “Although estimates of the efficacy of exercise training on fasting insulin and insulin resistance have been provided for adults, similar estimates have not been provided for youth.”
The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles from various online databases, including PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Physical Education Index and Web of Science. All articles were published before June 25, 2013. They streamlined the search to include only randomized controlled trials, using combinations of the terms “adolescent,” “child,” “pediatric,” “youth,” “exercise training,” “physical activity,” “diabetes,” “insulin,” “randomized trial” and “randomized controlled trial.”
After evaluating 546 possible sources, the researchers determined that 24 studies (4.4%) were eligible for inclusion in the study. They used 32 effects to quantify the result of exercise training on fasting insulin, and 15 effects were used to evaluate the result on insulin resistance. To ensure consistency and repeatability, multiple researchers calculated these estimates independently, and all disparities were reconciled before calculating the overall effect.
Based on the collective results from the studies, the researchers found that exercise training had a small to moderate effect on fasting insulin and improved insulin resistance in children and adolescents.
"These results support the use of exercise training in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes," they wrote.
Disclosure: Endocrine Today could not confirm disclosures at the time of publication.
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