Table 2.
Summary of representative studies comparing different exercise types.
| Reference | Population | Meal | Exercise Protocols * | Main Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellini et al. (2021) [23] a | 20 H in two of six studies (Study 2: 10, 5 M and 5 F, 24 ± 3 years old; Study 3: 10, 4 M and 6 F, 24 ± 6 years old) | MM: ~75% CHO of total EI (1 g of CHO per kg of BW). | Study 2: T: A (walking) vs. R vs. AR Ti: 30 min after the meal D: 30 min I: 120 spm and BW or elastic bands Study 3: T: A (walking vs. cycling vs. elliptical exercise) Ti: 30 min after the meal D: 30 min I: 70% HRmax |
↓ with A, R and AR (Study 2) and different A types (Study 3). |
| Bellini et al. (2021) [24] a | 8 T2D (3 M and 5 F, 62.6 ± 9.4 years old) | MM: 66% CHO of EI. | T: A vs. AR vs. RA vs. R Ti: 30 min after the meal D: 30 min (A, AR and RA) or 15 min (R) I: 100 spm (A bouts) and BW or elastic bands (R bouts) |
↓ with all types, greater effects of A and AR. |
| Bellini et al. (2023) [32] a | 23 H (Study 1: 12, 5 M and 7 F, 24 ± 3 years old; Study 2: 11, 9 M and 2 F, 27 ± 4 years old) | MM with 1 g of CHO per kg of BW (Study 1: 69.56 ± 14.97 g, 79.48 ± 4.00% of EI; Study 2: 69.64 ± 9.80 g, 74.51 ± 5.16% of EI). | Study 1: T: Walking vs. stepping vs. isometric wall squat Ti: 15 min after the meal D: 30 min I: 120 spm (walking and stepping) or BW (isometric wall squat) Study 2: T: Walking vs. passive NMES vs NMES + voluntary contraction Ti: 15 min after the meal D: 30 min I: 120 spm (Walking) or 30 Hz (NMES) |
Study 1: ↓ with stepping and walking. Study 2: ↓ with walking and NMES with voluntary contraction. |
| Solomon et al. (2020) [34] a | 48 H (Group 1: 16, 11 M and 5 F, 31 ± 11 years old; Group 2: 16, 5 M and 11 F, 24 ± 7 years old; Group 3: 9 M and 7 F, 29 ± 12 years old) | MM: 57% CHO of EI (71 g). | T: Standing (Group 1) vs. walking (Group 2) vs. R (Group 3) Ti: Immediately before vs. after the end of the meal vs. 30 min after the end of the meal D: 30 min (Groups 1 and 2) 3 × 10 repetitions (Group 3) I: Self-selected brisk pace (Group 2) and BW (Group 3) |
↓ with all exercise types. |
| Yoko et al. (2021) [36] a | 11 H (5 M and 6 F, 42.7 ± 9.4 years old) | MM: 40 g of CHO. | T: A (walking) vs. R Ti: 20 min before vs. 40 min after the meal. D: 20 min I: 4–6 km/h (A) and BW (R) |
↓ with A. |
| Takaishi and Hayashi (2017) [66] a | 7 IGT and 7 T2D (9 M and 5 F, 60.9 ± 11.2 years old) | MM: 106.5 g of CHO. | T: SCD vs. A (cycling) Ti: 90 min after the meal D: 8–10 reps of 21 steps (SCD) and 5–7 min (cycling) I: 60–65% HRR and 12–13 on Borg’s RPE scale |
↓ with both, greater effects with SCD. |
| Holzer et al. (2021) [72] a | 6 T2D (3 M and 3 F, 55.2 ± 7.5 years old) | M: 61.5 g of CHO for B and 77.5 g of CHO for L. | T: R vs. R + NMES vs. A (cycling) Ti: 50 min after the meal D: 20 min (1 × 10–20 reps for 8 exercises for R) I: BW or elastic bands (R), 80 Hz and 4–5 on a 10-points muscle contraction scale (R + NMES) and 50% Wmax |
↓ with all exercise types. |
| Nakayama et al. (2022) [80] a | 12 H (12 M, 24.3 ± 2.3 years old) | MM: 71 g (70.5% of EI) CHO. | T: R HIIE vs. A (running) Ti: 30 min after the meal D: 11 min and 30 min I: BW and 50% VO2max |
↓ with both exercise types. |
Notes. *, protocols are reported as type (T), timing (Ti), duration/volume (D), and intensity (I); a, data are reported as mean ± SD. Abbreviations. H, healthy; M, male; F, female; MM, mixed meal; CHO, carbohydrates; EI, energy intake; BW, bodyweight; A, aerobic exercise; R, resistance exercise; AR, combined aerobic and resistance exercise; spm, steps per minute; HRmax, heart rate maximum; ↓, reductions in post-meal glycemia; T2D, type 2 diabetes; RA, combined resistance and aerobic exercise; NMES, neuromuscular electrical stimulation; IGT, impaired glucose tolerance; SCD, stair climbing and descending; HRR, heart rate reserve; RPE, rate of perceived exertion; rpm, rotations per minute; B, breakfast; L, lunch; Wmax, maximal power output; HIIE, high intensity interval exercise; VO2max, volume of maximal oxygen uptake.