High-intensity interval training for patients with diabetes mellitus. A scoping review

Background. The spread of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide, significantly affecting public health. Management of this chronic condition requires effective strategies to control blood glucose levels and improve overall health. High-intensity interval training is emerging as a potential non-pharmacological approach to managing diabetes. Aim. To investigate the effectiveness of high-intensity interval training in improving glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and overall physical fitness in patients with diabetes mellitus. It also sought to identify the most effective high-intensity interval training protocols and provide recommendations for their application in diabetes management. Material and methods. The method used in this study is a scoping review, which aims to find answers to questions from researchers related to the literature on the research topic. The collected articles were synthesized using the TIDIER checklist, and articles were searched through various databases. Result. After conducting the article selection process, which can be seen in Figure 1, 35 suitable articles were found. The details of articles related to population, interventions, outcome measures, and risk of bias can be seen in Table 1. Conclusion. High-intensity interval training presents a viable and superior exercise strategy for managing diabetes mellitus, particularly type 2, provided that appropriate protocols are followed. However, further research is needed to standardize high-intensity interval training protocols and evaluate long-term impacts.