STRENGTH, WEIGHT TRAINING STATUS, AND FASTING GLUCOSE IN A HEALTHY ADULT POPULATION

Abstract

270 It has been hypothesized that weight training (WT) may be protective for type II diabetes in that fasting glucose appears to be negatively correlated with strength and WT status. To examine this hypothesis, strength, WT status, and fasting blood glucose (a measure of glucose tolerance) were determined in 1573 females and 7347 males enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study at the Cooper Clinic. During the clinic visit (1981-1989), a health history and activity questionnaire, physiologic tests such as fasting glucose, one repetition maximal (1RM;Ib) bench and leg press, and height and weight were taken. Subjects included in this analysis did not have a history of diabetes, a fasting glucose level above 126 mg/dl, did not take insulin, nor were medically prohibited from safely engaging in a maximal bench or leg press. Spearman correlations compared bench press, leg press and bench+leg to fasting glucose levels adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and age. Correlations were low with limited clinical significance. (Table)TableIndividuals (1987-1989) who reported WT tended to have higher strength than those who did not weight train (NWT). Mean (SE) fasting glucose levels for WT men (N=143) versus NWT (N=659) were 96.8 (0.7) and 97.6 (0.3) mg/dl (p>0.05) respectively and WT women (N=17) versus NWT (N=122) were 90.3 (1.8) and 92.2 (0.6) mg/dl (p>0.05) respectively controlling for age, BMI, and physical activity. In conclusion, strength measured by 1RM is weakly and negatively correlated to fasting glucose in men. Men and women, who reported WT had lower fasting glucose than those who did not. This suggests that WT may have a protective effect against type II diabetes. (Supported by NIH grant AG06945)