Table 3.
Overview of studies assessing the effects of home-based exercise programs in individuals with diabetes.
| Study/population | Home-based and comparator groups (N/age)/Follow-up | Orientation, monitoring and follow-up | Tools and measurements during home-based intervention | Home-based exercise programs | Home-based exercise improvements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collins et al. (53) /T2DM+PAD | Home-based: 37/35 (M/F)/66 ± 10 yr Control: 53/20 (M/F)/67 ± 10 yr Follow-up: 6 months |
Orientation: 7-min educational video/orientation on self-management behaviors/instructional audiotape Monitoring: phone calls (biweekly for 6 months) |
Tools: pedometers and questionnaire Measurements: diary (daily glucose, lipid, weekly blood pressures) |
Frequency: 4-5 d/wk Intensity: not reported Time: 50 min/session Type: aerobic (walking) |
Walking speed; and quality of life |
| Dadgostar et al. (41) /T2DM | Home-based: 36 (F)/49 ± 6 yr Supervised exercise: 38 (F)/50± 5 yr Follow-up: 3 months |
Orientation: general information on diabetes, self-care, diet, and exercise (90min) + educational booklet Monitoring: clinical visit (baseline, week 6 and week 12) + phone calls (biweekly for 6 weeks) |
Tools: pedometers, elastic bands and activity log Measurements: not reported |
Frequency: 3-5 d/wk Intensity: moderate (gradual progress from 2,500-30,00 to 10,000–12,000 steps per day) Time: not reported Type: aerobic (walking) and resistance (elastic bands) |
Glycemic control; body composition; lipid profile; and health-related quality of life |
| Guelfi et al. (50) /Gestational DM | Home-based: 85 (F)/34 ± 4 yr Control: 87 (F)/34 ± 4 yr Follow-up: 3 months |
Orientation: not reported Monitoring: supervision by an exercise physiologist at participants’ home (3 times-a-week) |
Tools: HR monitor and RPE scale Measurements: diary (daily nutritional intake) |
Frequency: 3 d/week Intensity: moderate (65-75% HRMAX) with intervals of high (75-85% HRMAX) Time: 20-60 min/session (progressive) Type: aerobic (cycle ergometer) |
Cardiorespiratory fitness; exercise automaticity; and general psychological distress |
| Halse et al. (43) Gestational DM | Home-based: 20 (F)/29 ± 1 yr Control: 20 (F)/29 ± 1 yr Follow-up: 8 months |
Orientation: counseling by a diabetes educator and dietician Monitoring: home visit |
Tools: exercise diary and RPE scale Measurements: capillary glucose, food diary and questionnaires |
Frequency: 5 d/wk Intensity: progressive - moderate- (65-75% HRMAX) to high-intensity interval (75-85% HRMAX) Time: 25 to 45 min/session (progressive) Type: aerobic (cycle ergometer) |
Postprandial glycemic control; and post-exercise capillary glucose |
| Karjalainen et al. (55) /T2DM+CAD | Home-based T2DM+CAD: 32/7 (M/F)/62 ± 5 yr Home-based CAD:???? (32/12 (M/F)/62 ± 5 yr Follow-up: 6 months |
Orientation: not reported Monitoring: contacted by a sports medicine specialist or physiotherapist (1 and 3 months) |
Tools: accelerometer, HR monitor and exercise diary Measurements: daily diary |
Frequency: 5 d/wk Intensity: 50-70% HRRESERVE (progressive) Time: 60 min/session Type: aerobic and resistance training |
Cardiorespiratory fitness; and daily levels of high-intensity activity |
| Krousel-Wood et al. (46) /T2DM |
|
Orientation: education program on diabetes self-management (5 sessions, 2.5h) Monitoring: clinic visit (1 per month up to 3rd month) |
Tools: videotape exercise and activity logs Measurements: questionnaires |
Frequency: 5 d/w Intensity: low- to moderate-intensity (3-6 METs) Time: 30 min/session Type: aerobic and resistance |
Body mass index; and quality of life |
| Lee et al. (44) /T2DM |
|
Orientation: a nurse-oriented session on how to correctly perform the program Monitoring: phone calls (weekly) |
Tools: pedometer (steps group) or portable oximeter and RPE scale (aerobic group) Measurements: not reported |
Frequency: 5 d/wk Intensity: moderate (13-15 RPE) or not reported (steps group) Time: 10,000 steps/day (steps group) or 30 min/session (aerobic group) Type: aerobic (steps group: walking; aerobic group: brisk walking, jogging and/or bicycling) |
Glucose metabolism; and pancreatic beta cell function (greater improvements in the steps group) |
| Marios et al. (49)/T2DM |
|
Orientation: not reported Monitoring: phone calls (weekly) |
Tools: HR monitor Measurements: exercise training diary |
Frequency: not reported Intensity: not reported Time: 180 min per week Type: aerobic (walking program) |
Cardiorespiratory fitness; and exercise tolerance |
| Olse et al. (45)/T2DM | Home-based T2DM: 9 (M)/60± 2 yr Home-based healthy control: 8 (M)/56 ± 1 yr Follow-up: 2 months |
Orientation: not reported Orientation: regular phone calls |
Tools: HR monitor Measurements: exercise training diary |
Frequency: 3-4 d/wk Intensity: 65-70% VO2PEAK Time: 30 min/session Type: aerobic (rowing ergometer) |
Submaximal aerobic capacity; and insulin‐mediated glucose extraction and clearance |
| Plotnikoff et al. (42) /T2DM | Home-based: 8/19 (M/F)/55 ± 12 yr Control: 8/13 (M/F)/54 ± 12 yr Follow-up: 4 months |
Orientation: one week of learning and practicing of each exercise by supervision of an exercise specialist Monitoring: home visits (18 of 48 sessions) + clinical visits (week 2 and 10) |
Tools: multigym apparatus and dumbbells Measurements: exercise training logs |
Frequency: 3 d/week Intensity: moderate- (50-60% of 1RM) to high-intensity (70-85% of 1RM) - progressive Time: not reported (2-3 sets of 8-12 reps in 8 exercises) Type: resistance |
Muscle strength; fasting insulin; HDL cholesterol; social-cognitive variables; and exercise self-efficacy |
| Scheede-Bergdahl et al. (52) /T2DM | Home-based T2DM: 12 (M)/59 ± 2 yr Home-based healthy control: 9 (M)/55 ± 1 yr Follow-up: 2 months |
Orientation: not reported Monitoring: not reported |
Tools: HR monitor Measurements: training logs |
Frequency: 3-4 d/wk Intensity: 65-70% of VO2PEAK Time: 30 min/session Type: aerobic (rowing ergometer) |
Submaximal aerobic capacity; and C-reactive protein |
| Shinji et al. (51) /T2DM | Home-based high-compliance: 40/24 (M/F) 58 ± 10 yr Home-based low-compliance: 21/17 (M/F)/54 ± 10 yr Follow-up: 3/17 months of intervention/incidence of cardiovascular events |
Orientation: diabetes education, health counseling and an exercise prescription Monitoring: phone calls |
Tools: not reported Measurements: self-reported adherence |
Frequency: 4-6 d/wk Intensity: moderate (adjusted to anaerobic threshold) Time: 20-30 min/session Type: aerobic (walking) |
Lower incidence of cardiovascular disease |
| Wu et al. (47) /at risk for T2DM | Home-based: 22/46 (M/F)/54 ± 5 yr Control: 16/51 (M/F)/54 ± 6 yr Follow-up: 9 months |
Orientation: educational orientation with a physiotherapist (1.5h), and guided book on proper diet and diabetes prevention Monitoring: phone calls (weekly–biweekly intervals for 3 months, reducing from 3 to 6 months and ending after 6 months) |
Tools: exercise video and stepper Measurements: body weight, exercise training logs and questionnaires (physical activity, self-efficacy) |
Frequency: 3-5 d/wk Intensity: moderate to vigorous Time: 30 min/session Type: aerobic |
Exercise self-efficacy; body mass index; muscle endurance; flexibility; and physical activity levels |
| Yang et al. (48) /T2DM | Home-based: 274/309 (M/F)/58 ± 1 yr Follow-up: 6 months |
Orientation: education on diabetes management and healthy lifestyle behaviors Monitoring: supervised session once-a-week |
Tools: not reported Measurements: exercise training diary |
Frequency: 5 d/wk Intensity: 60-75% of VO2PEAK or HRRESERVE Time: not reported Type: aerobic (walking) and resistance (free weights/elastic bands) |
Cardiorespiratory fitness; and body mass index |
CAD, coronary artery disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; F, female; HR, heart rate; M, male; PAD, peripheral arterial disease; RPE, rating of perceived exertion; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.