Resistance exercise decreases the need for insulin in overweight women with gestational diabetes mellitus

This study examines the effects of circuit-type resistance training on the need for insulin in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Thirty-two patients with gestational diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned either to a group that was treated with diet alone or to a group that was treated with diet plus resistance exercise. The number of women whose condition required insulin therapy was the same, regardless of treatment. However, a subgroup analysis that examined only overweight women (prepregnant body mass index, >25 kg/m 2) showed a lower incidence of insulin use in the diet-plus-exercise group ( P