Table 7.

Biophysical data from available studies, categorized by research type (no. of articles = 10)

First author, year	Model	Health cond(s)	Sample size (n)	Biophysical measures	Reported findings (with p-values)
Quantitative
Junling, 2015	CHCC	HTN	600 group, 604 control	● BP	SBP decreased significantly in both group (p < 0.001) and control (p = 0.001) from baseline to follow-up, although decreases in group > control.
				● BMI
					DBP decreased significantly in group (p = 0.001) but did not decrease significantly in control.
				● Physical activity
					BMI did not change in both.
					Increases in physical activity in group (p < 0.001) more remarkable than in control.
Trento, 2001	SMA / GV	T2DM	56 group, 56 control	● HbA1c	HbA1c stable in group, worsened in control (p < 0.002).
				● BMI	Tendency toward lower BMI in group (p = 0.06).
				● HDL	HDL cholesterol initially similar in both but later lower in group only (p < 0.05).
				● Fasting TG	Trend toward lower TG in group (p = 0.053).
Trento, 2002	SMA / GV	T2DM	56 group, 56 control	● Dosage of anti-hyperglycemic agents ● Body wt, BP and CV risk ● Metabolic control: - HbA1c - BMI - HDL - Retinopathy	Dosage of hypoglycemic agents decreased (p < 0.001) among group compared to control. Body wt (p < 0.001) and BMI (p < 0.001) decreased in group but not in control. Similar reductions in BP and CV risk in group vs control, but diff significant only for DBP (p < 0.001). Significant decrease in HbA1c (p < 0.001) in group. HDL increased (p < 0.001) in group but not in control. Retinopathy progressed less in group (p = 0.009).
Trento, 2004	SMA / GV	T2DM (NIDDM)	56 group, 56 control	● HbA1c ● BMI ● HDL, TG ● Cr	HbA1c remained stable in group but progressively increased among control (p < 0.001). BMI, HDL, TG and Cr improved over 5 yrs. in group, but not significantly different from control.
Trento, 2005	SMA / GV	T2DM	31 group, 31 control	● HbA1c	HbA1c decreased in both, though not significantly.
				● Lipids (TC, HDL, TG)	TC decreased in controls (p < 0.05), while HDL increased in group (p = 0.027).
				● Body wt, BMI	No significant modifications in other clinical variables monitored (body wt, BMI, FBG, insulin dosage, TG, ACR, foot ulcers).
				● FBG
				● Insulin dosage
				● ACR
				● Foot ulcers
Trento, 2010	SMA / GV	T2DM (NIDDM)	421 group, 394 control	● FBG ● HbA1c	FBG, HbA1c, TC, TG, LDL cholesterol, SBP, DBP, and BMI decreased in group from baseline to year 4 compared to control (p < 0.001, for all measures). HDL increased in group (p < 0.001).
				● TC, LDL, HDL, TG	Cr did not change significantly in group. BMI, HbA1c, TG, and Cr increased in control, whereas total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol and SBP did not change and DBP decreased.
				● BP
				● BMI
				● Cr
Naik, 2011	SMA / GV	T2DM	45 group, 42 control	● HbA1c ● SBP ● BMI	Significantly greater improvements in HbA1c immediately following active Intervention and persisted at 1-year follow-up (p = 0.05). SBP and BMI were only reported at baseline, but not significantly different between both.
Qualitative
Capello, 2008	SMA / GV	HTN	58 group (no control)	● BP	Significant effects on SBP and DBP (p < 0.01).
Raballo, 2012	SMA / GV	T1DM, T2DM	121 group, 121 control	● HbA1c ● Lipids (TC, HDL, TG) ● FBG ● BMI	HbA1c lower in T1DM group than in control (p = 0.001) and not significantly so in T2DM (NS). Lower HDL in T1DM control (p = 0.002), but no other significant differences among both.
Mixed Methods
Krzywkowski-Mohn, 2008	SMA / GV	T2DM	33 group (no control)	Diabetic clinical indicators:
				● HbA1c	Lower HbA1c after group intervention (p < 0.05).
				● LDL	Lower LDL after 18 mos (p < 0.05).
				● BP	No significant diff. in SBP or DBP after 18 mos.
				● Retinal exam	Increase in diabetic eye exams.
				● Foot exam	No diff in diabetic foot exams (96.9% pre + post).

Abbreviations: ACR Albumin/Creatinine ratio, BMI Body mass index, BP Blood pressure, Cr Creatinine, CV Cardiovascular, DBP Diastolic blood pressure, FBG Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c Glycated hemoglobin, HDL High density lipoprotein, HTN Hypertension, LDL Low density lipoprotein, NIDDM Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, SBP Systolic blood pressure, T1DM Diabetes mellitus, type 1, T2DM Diabetes mellitus, type 2, TC Total cholesterol, TG Triglycerides