The impact of type 2 diabetes duration on physical functioning, frailty status, and glycemia after 16 weeks of resistance training

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) duration’s impact on lifestyle intervention efficacy for frail older adults is unclear. Objective: To compare physical functioning, glycemia, and frailty between individuals with short-and long-duration T2DM after the Band-Frail program. Methods: This secondary analysis of the Band-Frail Study includes 130 adults (>65 years) with T2DM and frailty who completed 16 weeks of elastic band resistance training. Participants were categorized as 1) short-duration T2DM (10 years). Outcome measures included physical functioning (SPPB), glycemia (HbA1c), and frailty (Fried’s scale). Results: Participants in both T2DM duration groups improved in SPPB score and frailty status post-intervention (p<0.05). The long-duration group improved HbA1c significantly more than the short-duration group (p =0.03). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that individuals, irrespective of T2DM duration, improve physical functioning and frailty status after the Band-Frail intervention, and that longer-duration T2DM is associated with greater improvements in HbA1c.